Seasoned politician Ferdi Sabit Soyer lately highlighted the significance of the European Parliament elections with the next phrases: "Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots accuse one another however sadly they might not write a typical historical past. The European Parliament elections are a fantastic alternative to write down a typical historical past".
I connect nice significance to this comment of Soyer's.
I’ve all the time believed that European Parliament elections create a typical public area for political cooperation between the 2 communities.
In an interview I gave to the Phileleftheros newspaper on September 1, 2003, I summarized my views on this matter as follows: “Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots have by no means voted collectively. Each after independence and earlier than – beneath British rule – the political lifetime of the nation was communal. Now the elections for the European Parliament give us the chance to beat the division based mostly on nationality and to take part collectively in a political course of. Such a course of shall be of nice significance.”
Certainly, defining all areas of life in our nation on the premise of ethnicity is a nasty legacy of competing nationalisms that has led our nation to a useless finish. The creation of supranational political-ideological associations is of the utmost significance with a view to get out of the vicious circle through which we have now been dragged.
In fact, this doesn’t imply denying the existence of separate ethnic teams. A federal Cyprus should be based mostly on the existence and political equality of the separate ethnic teams. However this actuality shouldn’t be an impediment to the creation of a typical political public sphere and cooperation on the premise of political beliefs. Quite the opposite, this cooperation is important for the functioning of the federal state.
An analogous debate, albeit with completely different dimensions, is happening relating to the functioning and way forward for the European Union. Right this moment's nationalist elites are inclined to see the EU as a type of group through which sovereign nation-states cooperate with one another on the premise of widespread curiosity. The Far Proper and populists equivalent to Viktor Orbán strongly oppose the creation of a typical public sphere, i.e. the writing of a “widespread historical past”. Orbán has even proposed dissolving the supranational European Parliament, the place residents' voices are heard.
It’s clear that the Far Proper tends to see the European Union as a subject of pursuits the place the sport of “nationwide statism” is performed. “There is no such thing as a European nation, so the EU should be a membership of nation states.” Nonetheless, the founding of the EU aimed toward supranational cooperation based mostly on the sharing of sovereignty amongst member states, leaving nationalism behind for good. In different phrases, they wished nations to write down a “widespread historical past.” Such cooperation can’t be achieved with out the creation of a typical public sphere. The Far Proper does the alternative. It prefers to restrict itself to nationwide public spheres. In Cyprus, too, the nationalists say “there isn’t any Cypriot nation, subsequently a federal state can’t be created”. Behind these arguments lies a "essentialist" notion that perceives nations or ethnic teams as immutable "everlasting entities".
Nonetheless, nations are buildings that type and alter over the course of historical past. Nationwide consciousness and the sense of belonging on which it’s based mostly are fashioned on account of schooling and communication insurance policies applied in nationwide public areas.
The widespread political, cultural and academic public areas that shall be created within the European Union could nicely contribute to the event of a typical “European consciousness”. This, in flip, might pave the best way for solidarity between EU residents. For instance, it might contribute to the solidarity of a German with a Greek or a Spaniard.
The creation of a typical public area by no means abolishes nations. It results in nationwide public spheres being open and permeable to one another, which helps nations embrace pluralism and democratize.
Such supranational cooperation is important to finish wars and obtain lasting peace. However for this, it’s essential to struggle the elites who play the sport of ethnocracy.
Elections to the European Parliament are an essential alternative to create and take part in a typical political public sphere.
Nonetheless, a lot must be carried out to interrupt ethnic bigotry in our nation. In varied fields, from schooling to tradition, sports activities and well being, collaborations will be made and “widespread tales” will be written. Joint sports activities groups and well being establishments will be created.
We should not neglect that the division of the nation started with the separation of cultural, sports activities and well being establishments…
Writing “widespread histories” doesn’t abolish the existence and id of ethnic teams. However this necessitates a battle in opposition to ethnically obsessed nationalist elites…
