EU to fund cultural heritage restoration study in occupied Cyprus

The European Union budget on 2008, approved yesterday by the European Parliament, includes 500.000 euro to fund a study on the situation of cultural heritage sites in the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus, as well as the assessment of the restoration cost.

This study, incorporated in the 2008 budget after an amendment by Cypriot MEP Panagiotis Demetriou, will inter alia include a detailed description of each cultural monument of significant value and record the damage as well as the repairs necessary for the restoration of these monuments.

The amendment was approved by the EP’s Culture and Education Committee on 10 September, as well by the Budget Committee a month later.

A press release issued by the office of Demetriou, notes ”that despite attempts by the Turkish diplomatic mission to undermine this effort, the commencement of this process constitutes a commitment for the EU and marks its involvement in the issue of the protection of the cultural heritage in northern Cyprus for the first time.”