Last weekend, significant queues and delays were observed at the crossing points along the buffer zone line
Turkish Cypriot media report that citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, wishing to enter areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus, were particularly affected. These people were stuck in traffic both on Saturday and Sunday, causing serious dissatisfaction.
The Turkish Cypriot side attributes the inconvenience to intensified controls. In their view, the longest delays were triggered by stricter inspections at the crossings under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Cyprus.
In addition, congestion could also be linked to insufficient capacity on both the Republic of Cyprus side and within the Northern Cyprus administration itself. The Turkish Cypriot press notes that the existing number of checkpoints was clearly insufficient to handle the traffic flow effectively.
Another problem was likely the lack of operational coordination and political will. According to Turkish Cypriot media, technical or logistical obstacles are only part of the issue. They also point to the absence of coordinated actions, information exchange, and political willingness, which prevented a smooth resolution of the situation.
As a result, dissatisfaction is growing among residents of Northern Cyprus: in their view, the situation reflects deeper structural limitations that affect thousands of border crossers daily. The delays go beyond short-term inconvenience — they raise questions about the need to improve communication, optimize checkpoints, and possibly seek political solutions to ease cross-border movement.
You may also be interested in:
- Stronger winds and noticeable cooling expected in Cyprus
- Fire in the Paliometocho area of Cyprus brought under control
- Ministry of Health calls for cautious use of over-the-counter medicines
- Protest at a high school in Larnaca over power outages and removed fans
- A new emergency department opens at the General Hospital in Larnaca from September 18