During her private visit to Cyprus, the federal parliamentarian Maria Vamvakinou also had a series of meetings organised by Australia’s High Commission. Vamvakinou, who is the Chair of the Australia-Cyprus Parliamentary Friendship Group, was briefed about the latest developments on the Cyprus Problem, human trafficking, and the refugee-asylum seeking situation that has overcome Europe, especially front-line states such as Cyprus.
On the issue of Turkey’s invasion and occupation of the north of Cyprus, Vamvakinou said,
“There is “a keen commitment by the newly elected President [of Cyprus] to pursue the commencement of peace talks through the United Nations and the EU.”
She said that it has been five years since she last visited Cyprus, and “the solution of the Cyprus problem remains of major concern.”
Vamvakinou also said that the Cypriot president’s invitation to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to visit Cyprus stands and that “pending the PM’s availability, I’m sure this would be a much welcome visit from Cypriots both in Australia and here in Cyprus.”
Vamvakinou is also the Chair of Australia’s Parliamentary Human Rights Sub-Committee, which is currently conducting an inquiry into violence against women and girls. She met with government and non-government organisations and agencies that are combating human trafficking, particularly the trafficking of women and girls in Cyprus.
Vamvakinou said the inquiry into the violence against women and girls is looking at acid attacks against women, rape as an instrument of war, and orphanage trafficking. “On this basis, I sought to meet with and exchange views with women’s organisations operating in Cyprus who are doing an important job in shining a light on this scourge of exploitation and human trafficking,” Vamvakinou said.
She added that the issue of refugees and migrants is “becoming a major issue both in terms of the labour market and human trafficking.”
“This is a major concern for the Cypriots as well as the global community and is an issue that must be tackled globally by all of us, and I believe that Australia can play a very important and constructive role.”
The parliamentarian met with Olga Komiti from UNHCR, Corina Demetriou, the National Expert of the European Network of Legal Experts on anti-discrimination, Community-Based Protection Associate Corina Drousiotou of the Cyprus Refugee Council, Elizabeth Kassinis and Gosha Chrysanthou from Caritas Cyprus, and Josie Christodoulou, the Commissioner for Gender Equality.
The meeting was followed by a luncheon for Maria Vamvakinou hosted by the Australian High Commission to Cyprus Fiona McKergow with members of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and on Equal Opportunities for Men and Women: Aristos Damianou from AKEL, Marios Mavrides from DYSI, and Alexandra Attalides from the Greens.
Vamvakinou thanked the new High Commissioner to Cyprus and her colleagues Michelle Anderson and Costa Gavrielides “for putting together a first-rate program and who do an excellent job in promoting our bilateral relations with Cyprus.”
Vamvakinou, together with her husband Dr. Michalis Michael, later met with members of Cyprus Academic Dialogue who completed 13 years of activity.
Vamvakinou, along with Victorian Labor parliamentarian Kat Theophanous, also attended an all-women VIP viewing of the Indigenous Art exhibition “Jarracharra: Dry Season’s Wind” with textiles from the Bábbarra Women’s Centre in the Maningrida Region of Arnhem Land, Northern Territory.
