Northern Cyprus cement sales

The Cyprus Govt Commerce Committee is considering investigating a company’s intention to sell cement to developers in the occupied north. Government spokesmen said they were concerned by the intention of Vasiliko cement factory to sell cement to the north at a time when everyone was trying to stop the development of properties in the north and at a time when Cyprus is filing complaints left and right for the frenzied construction in the occupied areas, which “violates the rights of Greek Cypriots and the looting of Greek Cypriot property”.

A spokesam said the company’s management should have shown more consideration and did not rule out the issue being discussed by the House Commerce Committee if the deal went ahead. In that case, the committee would discuss the matter as early as Tuesday to find out the reasons behind the company taking the decision. The matter is even more complicated as 30 per cent of the stake in the company belongs to the Church of Cyprus.

Paphos Bishop Chrysostomos has expressed dissatisfaction over the decision and made it clear that the Church would not even agree to the sale of one sack of cement to the occupied areas by the company. Vasiliko general manager George Sideris was unavailable for comment yesterday.

 It is understood that the company was approached by parties from the north to make the sale.
 According to reports, if the company refuses to sell the cement, the Turkish Cypriots would import 250,000t from Turkey and Egypt. The Cyprus Mail has learned that the island’s second cement manufacturer, Cyprus Cement Company has not been approached. It is understood that the local market absorbed the company’s entire production and it did not have the capacity to produce more.