BRIEFING , illustration, Title photo sual icon or keyvi Hubert Faustmann, Stavros Stavrou, Sertac Sonan Trade Union Monitor Cyprus POLITICAL, ECONOMICAL AND SOCIAL CON­DITIONS POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT Ever since a Greek coup and an ensuing Turkish invasion in 1974, the island of Cyprus has been divided into two parts. The Greek Cypriot community lives south of the dividing line in the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus. The Turkish Cypriots live in the north in the internationally not recognised“Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)”. 1 The complete deadlock in the negotiations on a solution over the Cyprus issue continued in 2023 and 2024. This sit ­uation has prevailed since the failure of the last round of talks to reunify the island at an international conference in Crans Montana, Switzerland, in July 2017. The demand by Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tartar, to recognize TRNC sovereign equality and equal international status as a precondition for resuming negotiations remains the main obstacle. This position con­flicted with the internationally accepted framework of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation for a solution. The Greek Cypriot president Nikos Christodoulides, called for in­creased EU involvement to help overcome the deadlock, however the Turkish side rejects this proposal. Concurrent­ly, while officially president Christodoulides supports nego­tiations within the framework a bi-zonal, bi-communal fed­eration, his credibility has been questioned because of his past hard-line positions and backing from parties known for their tough stance on the Cyprus problem. In October 2020, the Turkish Cypriot authorities unilaterally opened parts of Varosha, a fenced-off suburb of Famagus­ta uninhabited since 1974 and previously administered by the Turkish military. This move, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, was widely condemned by the interna­tional community, as it shifted control of the area to the Turkish Cypriot authorities. Turkey stated it would allow the return of Greek Cypriot property owners if recognized by the Immovable Property Commission in the north. By the end of 2024, 3.5% of the territory had been opened, but no residents have returned. 1 The“Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus(TRNC)” is only recognised by the Republic of Turkey. While for Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots, Ersin Tatar serves as President of the TRNC, the international community considers him the communal leader of the Turkish Cypriots. Because the government of the Republic of Cyprus remains internation­ally recognised as the government of the whole of the island, the entire island is now considered to be a member of the European Union. However, the Acquis Communautaire is suspended in northern Cyprus pending a political settlement to the Cyprus problem(see Protocol no. 10 of the Accession Treaty). Trade Union Monitor Cyprus 1