Motorists spent over 5.3 million euros in the TRNC

THE Greek Cypriot Consumers’ Association said on Wednesday that Greek Cypriots spent over 5.3 million euros in the TRNC last month on purchasing petrol and diesel fuel. According to the association, one million euros of that amount was taxes.

According to the association’s report, during the first half of 2018 Greek Cypriots purchased 7.7 million litres of 95 octane petrol and 7.1 million litres of diesel in the North. These estimates are based on the sale trends of the last three years.

“During the first six months of 2018, 3.74 per cent of the total sales of 95 octane petrol and 4.2 per cent of diesel fuel has been purchased in the occupied areas,” the report said. It added that since petrol stations in the South receive 5.5 cents per each litre sold, their owners lost 815,499 euros during the same period.

In July, the report continued, it is estimated that total fuel purchase in the TRNC reached 6.9 million litres, which corresponds to 10 per cent of sales in the South. This translates to an estimated 5.33 million euros spent in the North on fuel, including taxes estimated at 1.08 million.

Following increasing complaints in the South that many Greek Cypriot professional drivers as well as private individuals buy fuel in the TRNC where it is much cheaper, the Greek Cypriot customs department said in June it would step up checks on Greek Cypriot vehicles at crossing points and seize fuel bought in the North.

Greek Cypriot Customs claimed the sulphur content of diesel sold in the North is higher than that of the standards applied by the South and thus in violation of the fuel standards law. It warned that officials would even impound vehicles found to be running on petrol or diesel bought in the TRNC. However, a couple of days later, the Greek Cypriot government backtracked on these plans.

According to the Cyprus Turkish Petrol Forecourt Owners’ Association head Levent Cağdal, fuel used in the TRNC meets Turkish quality standards, which in turn conforms to EU standards.