Pyrogi: A delegation from the community council of Pyrogi village has delivered a resolution to Annita Demetriou, President of the House of Representatives, concerning the illegal occupation of their village. This occupation occurred during the ceasefire following the second phase of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in August 1974.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the delegation demanded the return to their village, which remains in ruins and within the military zone of the occupying army for 51 years. They highlighted their inability to visit their village church or homes and requested the opening of a crossing point in Pyrogi. Currently, access is only possible via the Tymbou road, which is blocked by barbed wire fences when reaching Pyrogi, prohibiting entry.
Tzina Ioannou, President of the community, handed the resolution to House President Demetriou, who commended their efforts, emphasizing the goal of liberating and reunifying Cyprus. Demetriou assured them that they will continue to exert necessary pressure, although noting that it does not solely depend on their side due to Turkey’s intransigence and illegal positions.
Panayiotis Savvides, Deputy President of the community, also sought Demetriou’s assistance in opening the Pyrogi crossing point, expressing hope for successful efforts in this direction. After the meeting, Savvides expressed deep sadness over the stalled progress of opening a crossing point, despite intensive efforts by the President of the Republic.
Savvides described the village’s dilapidated state, with mudbrick houses collapsing and others stripped of bricks, leaving only columns and terraces. He reiterated the community’s annual commitment to bring this issue before both the Parliament and the Presidential Palace.
Ioannou noted that the village’s church, Agios Antipas, is unique in Cyprus and dates back to the 14th century. A repair request through the bicommunal Technical Committee for Cultural Heritage was denied due to the proximity of a military unit. Ioannou confirmed the visibility of the unit, adding that the Turkish army has repurposed the village school for ammunition storage and repaired three houses for habitation.
Savvides recalled that the village was home to both Greek and Turkish Cypriots until 1963, when Turkish Cypriot residents were ordered to leave without any internal conflict. He mentioned that the “community leader” of Louroujina supports opening a crossing point at Pyrogi for easier travel to Nicosia.
Cyprus remains divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion, occupying the north. UN-led peace talks have consistently failed due to Turkish intransigence, with the latest talks in Crans-Montana in July 2017 ending inconclusively. A second informal meeting on Cyprus took place in New York in July 2025, with another planned for later this year. UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres has committed to continued dialogue and will meet with Cyprus leaders during the General Assembly high-level week in September.
The two sides in Cyprus continue discussions on unresolved issues, including crossing points and a solar energy installation in the buffer zone. They have also agreed on cultural artifact exchanges, with Maria Angela Holgun, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, spearheading efforts.
The European Commission has appointed Johannes Hahn as Special Envoy for Cyprus to support the settlement process, collaborating closely with Holgun.