UK govt website changes TRNC name after GC complaints

THE British government has removed a reference to the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” from an official website following complaints from Greek Cypriots.

The issue was raised in the UK Parliament by pro-Greek Cypriot Conservative MP Theresa Villiers, the MP for Chipping Barnet.

In a written question, she asked Home Secretary Priti Patel “if she will remove the reference to the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus from the list of locations included in the Passenger Locator Form on www.gov.uk and replace it with the north of Cyprus, consistent with the longstanding policy on Cyprus of successive UK Governments”.

Home Office minister Kevin Foster, replying on behalf of Ms Patel, replied: “The Passenger Locator Form has been amended to ensure it reflects Government policy in respect of the name applied to the north of Cyprus.

“The ‘Country of Issue’ drop down list for travel documents was amended to ‘Cyprus, northern’ and made available for users on 6 March 2021.”

THE widow of a man who died in a car crash three months ago has called for urgent repairs to road signs to prevent further deaths.

The plea was made by Melehat Özgüven, whose husband Hüseyin Özgüven was killed in a head-on collision near the village of Kumyalı last November.

Speaking to Cyprus Today’s sister newspaper Kıbrıs, Mrs Özgüven highlighted a large sign that had had beecome dislodged and another that was illegible, both of which are located on the

Ziyamet-Kumyalı main road. Bushes and weeds at the roadside reduce drivers’ visibility on bends, she added. “No more people should die in road accidents,” Mrs Özgüven said.