Nicosia: A decrease of up to 14% was recorded in the crossings of Greek Cypriots from the government-controlled to the Turkish-occupied areas of the island during the weekends following the illegal arrest and detention of five Greek Cypriots by the occupation “authorities”. Although the number of crossings later increased, it remains comparatively lower than in the period before the illegal arrest, which took place on July 19.
According to Cyprus News Agency, of the five Greek Cypriots, one is “accused” by the occupation “authorities” of “entering” the occupied areas “without undergoing immigration procedures”, while the other four are “accused” of “providing assistance” to that person. The five are expected to be brought before the “military court” in occupied Nicosia on Thursday.
The government has condemned “in the strongest possible terms the ongoing illegal, provocative, and inhumane treatment of five Greek Cypriot citizens of the Republic of Cyprus by the occupation regime” and has denounced it to the UN, the EU, and other fora, calling for the termination of their illegal detention.
According to police data, during the weekend of July 26-27, crossings of Greek Cypriots through the checkpoints into the occupied areas dropped by 14.08%, reaching 10,144, compared to the weekend before the “arrest” (July 12-13) when they numbered 11,806. Total crossings into the occupied areas (Greek Cypriots and third-country nationals) decreased by 4.3% that weekend compared to the weekend before the “arrest”.
Similarly, crossings of Turkish Cypriots into the areas controlled by the Republic, on July 26-27 also fell by 12.86%, reaching 9,436, compared to 10,829 the weekend before the “arrests”.
Crossings of Greek Cypriots increased in absolute numbers in the following weekends, remaining, however, reduced. On the first weekend of August (2-3/8), Greek Cypriot crossings into the occupied areas reached 11,207, and on the second (9-10/8) they were 10,869. While figures recovered compared to the weekend immediately after the illegal arrest, they are still down by 5.07% and 7.9% respectively compared to the weekend before the arrest.
During the first and second weekends of July, 11,955 and 11,806 Greek Cypriots respectively had crossed the checkpoints. However, if third-country nationals’ crossings into the occupied areas are added, the numbers in August were higher compared to the corresponding crossings in July. During the first weekend of August, there were a total of 18,577 crossings into the occupied areas, while during the second weekend there were 17,801, an increase of 8.86% and 4.31%, respectively, compared to the weekend before the “arrest”.
During those same weekends, crossings of Turkish Cypriots into the areas controlled by the Republic increased. Specifically, 11,923 Turkish Cypriots crossed during the first weekend of August, compared to 10,829 during the weekend before the arrest, marking a 10.1% increase. During the second weekend, 10,726 Turkish Cypriots crossed, showing a slight decrease of 0.95%.
It is noted that crossings in both directions were reduced during the weekend the arrest took place (July 19-20), which coincided with the anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Specifically, that weekend 10,007 Greek Cypriots, 6,114 foreigners, and 7,877 Turkish Cypriots crossed the checkpoints. In comparison, the previous weekend (July 12-13) saw 11,806 Greek Cypriots, 5,258 foreigners, and 10,829 Turkish Cypriots crossing.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results.