A report published on Thursday revealed that an email from the deputy tourism ministry sparked panic within the tourism company TUI. The incident drew heavy criticism from MPs, who accused Deputy Minister Costas Koumis of nearly causing a crisis by handling the matter internally and failing to inform the government.
According to the news outlet Alithia, during a closed-door session of the House Energy Committee, Koumis allegedly conveyed a message that was interpreted by a company employee as indicating that tours to the north were being stopped.
Moreover, prior to the session, he said he did not inform either President Nikos Christodoulides or the foreign ministry about this action.
According to Alithia, the government has agreements with travel agencies for tours in the north. These agreements stipulate that tours are allowed as long as visitors are transported by Greek Cypriot buses and accompanied by a Greek Cypriot tour guide.
“This was handled unacceptably by the deputy tourism ministry internally, and it was a sensitive issue that should have been discussed,” , Greens MP and House committee member Stavros Papadouris told state broadcaster CyBC.
He added that these tours are part of the Green Line Regulation, and that the company had sent an email simply asking if they could continue conducting the tours.
Papadouris said that the issue of tours to the north goes back as far as 2008 and had been part of the Green Line regulation.
Commenting on the matter after the session, the head of the committee and Disy MP Kyriacos Hadjiyiannis said “the deputy the ministry led the country into deep waters, firstly with their relationship with partner tourist companies and secondly into an argument that casts doubt on existing plans and agreements, which had been valid until today”.
“At the end of the day, all these tours were happening, are still happening, and are part of the Green Line regulation,” he added.
Hadjiyiannis also said that “Koumis admitted that he has not conveyed the problem to the President of the Republic, for a decision that had political dimensions”.
He added that this incident provided the north with ammunition to use against the government, just as efforts are underway to restart Cyprus talks.
“I wonder whether this was a responsible management of a political issue, and I wish there are no consequences or retaliation, for example in the expansion of illegal tourist activity within Varosha.
“Blackmailing threats have been vented by the occupying power because the deputy ministry of tourism gave them the opportunity to threaten for things they did not need,” Hadjiyiannis said.
A further discussion on the issue caused by the deputy ministry with TUI will take place at another House committee session, which will feature Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos and government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis.
Letymbiotis has previously stated that the government did not request TUI to cancel tours to the north.
