The so-called government of occupied northern Cyprus on Tuesday decided to open Varosha, a tourist resort abandoned since 1974 near Famagusta , for settlement amid heightened tension in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Despite mounting pressure from the EU and the US to comply with the international law and avoid provocations against Cyprus, Turkey will launch a second drilling vessel on Thursday (Jun 20) that will begin natural gas operations near Cyprus at the beginning of July, Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras send the message that whoever violates Greece and Cyprus' sovereign rights, that is member of the European Union, and whoever violates the International Law in the region "should know that there will be sanctions" in his statement on Sunday after the conclusion of the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA) meeting at the Maximos mansion.