CROSSINGS REOPENED
MOVE WELCOMED AFTER 463 DAYS OF CLOSURE DUE TO THE PANDEMIC
ALL checkpoints on both sides of the border reopened at 8am yesterday for the first time in more than 15 months.
The simultaneous move came after the UN announced on Wednesday that the island’s two leaders, Ersin Tatar and Nicos Anastasiades, had agreed to “synchronize” Covid-19 measures regarding the checkpoints.
Police said that as of noon yesterday, there had been a total of 3,649 crossings — 1,299 from the South to the TRNC, and 2,350 in the opposite direction.
Under the agreement the level of measures for border crossings will be determined on a bi-weekly basis by the Technical Committee on Health based on the epidemiological situation.
The current level has been set at “Level 2 (Orange)”, meaning that a seven-day negative PCR or antigen test is needed to cross.
The TRNC Health Ministry said that test results must be presented with a “document in Turkish and English” which will not require a “wet signature”. Text message results from the Health Ministry will not be accepted, the ministry added.
If the situation changes to “Level 1 (Green)” then there will be no restrictions on crossings. However the checkpoints will be closed to the general public under “Level 3 (Red)”.
In this situation, crossings for health reasons will be permitted with a PCR test obtained within the last 72 hours, while those crossing for work, education and “residence-related matters” will be allowed to cross with a seven-day negative antigen or PCR test.
Levels 1 and 2 apply to “all categories of people” including “third country nationals”, the UN statement said, adding that a future announcement will be made for the measures to be applied to vaccinated people.
“The reopening of all crossing points will facilitate free movement, promote people to people contacts, build trust and have an overall positive socio-economic impact across the island for the benefit of all Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots,” the statement said.
The reopening of the border was welcomed by Unite Cyprus Now, Hade and several other groups, who organised an informal “multi-communal” celebration at Büyük Han (the Great Inn) in Lefkoşa named “We missed each other”.
They said the closure of the checkpoints had “split families, friends, loved ones and risked cementing the division of our country permanently”.
Meanwhile tourism industry organisations called on the government to allow fully-vaccinated passengers from Turkey into the TRNC without any restrictions, and for unvaccinated people from Turkey to enter with “double PCR testing”.
Transit passengers who have completed their journey within 24 hours and are entering the TRNC from the South or Turkey should be subject to regulations according to the situation of their country of departure, the statement added.