Cypriots hold protests, demand crossing point opening
GREEK Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots held simultaneous demonstrations on both sides of the border to demand the opening of a promised new crossing point at Derinya in the east of the island.
President Mustafa Akıncı and Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades agreed in May 2015 to open the checkpoint, one of several “confidence-building measures” announced at the time.
If opened, it would slash journey times between places such as Gazimağusa in North Cyprus and Ayia Napa in South Cyprus.
However, work has been beset by delays, and claims of a lack of political will following the collapse of talks between Mr Akıncı and Mr Anastasiades last year. Around 150 people gathered last Saturday on the TRNC side of the line on Vahit Güner Caddesi, more commonly known as “Derinya Road”.
Mağusa Walled City Association deputy chairman Serdar Atai read out a press statement saying the opening of the Derinya gate was the “demand of a lot of people from Gazimağusa”.
He said the European Union had provided financial assistance for the project which had “yet to be realised due to a number of reasons”.
Mr Atai said the National Unity Party (UBP)-Republican Turkish Party and UBP-Democrat Party coalitions had “failed to do their duty” since 2015, and that he was concerned that the current four-party coalition was “not going to do what is necessary”.
He said he was “very disappointed” by the “blame game” and called on the “elected [leaders] of both sides to respect the will of the people”.
Mr Atai stressed that a new crossing point at Derinya would provide a well-needed boost to shops and businesses and was necessary “for the development of local tourism”. It would also be “beneficial for the rapprochement of the two communities”, he added, while also calling for the return of the fenced-off resort of Maraş to its “legal owners”.
Former Gazimağusa mayor Oktay Kayalp, who was among those to take part in the protest, said the Derinya border gate should have been opened “years ago”.
“Even though the opening of this gate has become a national demand, work is being carried out very slowly,” he said. “Our hope is that it will be opened soon.”
During a visit last month to a parallel crossing also agreed in 2015 but not yet open, at Aplıç, near Lefke, Mr Akıncı bemoaned the “constant postponements” of opening both and said the Greek Cypriot side should “attach more importance” to them.
The president said infrastructure on the Turkish Cypriot side at Aplıç was all but complete, while a 2.5km stretch of road on the South side was still to be finished.
He commented that “far bigger roads could have been built in three years”, but added that he did not “want to enter into the blame game”. He just “wished to see the checkpoint open as soon as possible”.