Greek representatives at an annual board meeting of the European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (UEAPME) blocked recognition a pair of groups, from the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYRoM) and the occupied part of northern Cyprus, respectively, from attaining membership in the pan-European organization.
The UEAPME meeting was held on June 9 in Vienna.
According to a letter forwarded to Greece's foreign ministry by the president of the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ESEE), Vassilis Korkidis, and the Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen & Merchants (GSEVEE) representative, Dimitris Asimakopoulos, the Greek side reminded UEAPME’s board that membership of an entity based in the Turkish-occupied territory of northern Cyprus would constitute recognition of the T/C pseudo-state, which is the product of a 1974 invasion and continued occupation.
Only Turkey, the occupying country, of all international states, recognizes a “Republic of Northern Cyprus”. The group that requested membership was listed as the “Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Shopkeepers & Artisans (ΚΤΕΖΟ)”.
In terms of fYRoM, Greek representatives said the EU recognizes the country with its provisional name, thereby nixing a bid by the “Chamber of Crafts of Republic of Macedonia (CCRM)”, as the group’s name was given.
