Greek Cypriot MEP arrested by british forces for opposing British bases in Cyprus

[Crvena zvezda]

Defiant Matsakis refuses bail and goes on hunger strike
By Elias Hazou

MAVERICK MEP Marios Matsakis has remained defiant, refusing to post bail that would secure his release from a holding centre at the Sovereign British Base (SBA) in Dhekelia.

In the meantime he is said to have gone on a hunger strike.

The controversial politician was arrested Thursday by SBA police in front of a delegation from the European Parliament that was visiting Cyprus.

Matsakis was taken into custody because of two outstanding arrest warrants against him involving two incidents during which he had reportedly caused damage to SBA property and vehicles during last year’s anniversary of the EOKA struggle against British colonial rule.

Specifically, he had spray-painted a military Land Rover and allegedly caused criminal damage to an SBA police patrol car.

The MEP was arrested and handcuffed while on board a bus taking members of a delegation from the European Parliament Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety that were visiting the antennae site in the British base area of Akrotiri.

Appearing in court later in the day, Matsakis demonstrated his defiance to SBA authorities by remaining seated while Judge Raymond Navqui stepped in, and refused to pay a £500 bail for his release.

The anti-British MEP said that he did not recognise the British Bases and therefore would not pay any fine to them, shouting “long live the Cyprus Republic!” as he was hauled off to his cell.

He has often referred to the SBA as the “British occupation forces in Cyprus”.

Unless and until he posts bail, he will remain behind bars until his trial date on May 15.

His partner and son visited him yesterday at noon at the Dhekelia prison where he is currently being held. They said Matsakis looked “stressed”, but added he was sticking to his guns, refusing to recognise the SBA court.

He was also examined by a physician and found to be in good health.

“We know he missed breakfast yesterday… but cannot say for sure whether he has begun a hunger strike,” SBA spokesman Dennis Barnes told the Mail.

Barnes also put paid to speculation that, as an MEP, Matsakis enjoyed immunity within the SBA, which is British territory.

He said the bases had a “unique status” in that, while they were part of British territory, they had not adopted the EU acquis.

The status of the SBA is defined in the 1960 Treaty of Establishment of the Republic.

“No one has immunity to commit crimes, or alleged crimes, inside the SBA… including Mr Matsakis,” said Barnes.
“So far Mr Matsakis has not played the immunity card,” he added.

The SBA spokesman also commented on media conjecture that the helicopter transferring Matsakis from Akrotiri to Dhekelia had flown over Cyprus airspace, which supposedly left open a window for his handing over to Cypriot authorities.

He said the chopper did not cross Cypriot airspace, but even if it had the detainee [Matsakis] was on board a British aircraft – and consequently on British territory – at the time.

“Mr Matsakis was moved to Dhekelia, where a proper prison facility exists, so he could be more comfortable there. The base at Akrotiri has holding cells for temporary detainment only,” explained Barnes.

Sources said that Matsakis had informed SBA authorities of his precise whereabouts on Thursday, suggesting the MEP might be pulling off yet another publicity stunt.

Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashardis confirmed to the Mail that the Foreign Ministry had issued a verbal demarche to the British High Commission over the MEP’s arrest.

Yesterday all political parties joined in denouncing the illegality of Matsakis’ arrest and incarceration
President Tassos Papadopoulos said that the Republic questioned the jurisdiction of SBA courts, but remarked that these objections should be raised at the proper venue, “in court, and not with gestures”.

“We hope there will soon be developments in this affair… but nothing is for sure,” added the President.

It is hardly the first time Matsakis has been in hot water. On New Year’s Eve 2005 he was arrested by Turkish Cypriot authorities for having pulled down a Turkish flag from an unmanned sentry post.

[Strengthandhonour]

The anti-British MEP said that he did not recognise the British Bases and therefore would not pay any fine to them, shouting “long live the Cyprus Republic!” as he was hauled off to his cell.

He has often referred to the SBA as the “British occupation forces in Cyprus”.


I am impressed. This individual totally gets my respect. Still the Brits have the nerve to come to forums such as stirpes and claim they are opressed..

[Arthur Gordon Pym]

The Brits and Americans are polluting the whole earth with their occupying armies and bases. Think only of how many American occupational bases are there in Europe today, with all those Yankee payed murderers being stationed on the European soil for the only one and single goal, and that is to keep the present-day European status quo ad infinitum.

[EnglishJac]

Lets not get silly , the base in Cyprus is British sovereign territory, the little vandal should have committed the crime and then stayed within the base for the Ministry of Defence Police to arrest him, then he could have publicly caused a stir and not co operate as he did not see the base or the Police as legitimate.

In stead he ran off, thus acknowledging the authority of the base.

[Arthur Gordon Pym]

Originally Posted by EnglishJac

Lets not get silly , the base in Cyprus is British sovereign territory, the little vandal should have committed the crime and then stayed within the base for the Ministry of Defence Police to arrest him, then he could have publicly caused a stir and not co operate as he did not see the base or the Police as legitimate.

In stead he ran off, thus acknowledging the authority of the base.

English Jac, if you want independence of England and the dissolution of the UK, then what's the point in supporting such military bases around the world? Don't you think they cause too many expenses as well?

[Strengthandhonour]

I woudln't want foreign bases in my country be them from friendly countries or not. "British sovereign territory" what a lovely definition..

[EnglishJac]

It would depend on what England’s Military obligations would be post independence, it is not a question of wither I support the base being in Cyprus or not, it’s was a question about the legality of the base itself.

Just because we disapprove doesn’t mean we have to call it illegal and an occupation, it simply is not that.

[Theobald]

Err... A member of the European Parliament, democratically elected and representative of the people of an EU member, is jailed by foreign troops, soldiers of another EU member ? And there isn't any protest from other EU members ? From the Republic of Cyprus ? From the EU itself ? I'm dreaming, right ?

[Franze]

Theobald, you are dreaming, remember Gibraltar and where is the aiport? In Spain.
This country has a lot of privileges.

[Arthur Gordon Pym]

Originally Posted by Theobald

Err... A member of the European Parliament, democratically elected and representative of the people of an EU member, is jailed by foreign troops, soldiers of another EU member ? And there isn't any protest from other EU members ? From the Republic of Cyprus ? From the EU itself ? I'm dreaming, right ?

Albion and America are always more equal than others.