PEOPLE travelling to the occupied areas with the intention of filling up their vehicles with cheaper diesel, face stiff penalties from customs authorities.
Chief Customs & Excise officer Demetrios Hadjicostis said yesterday: “We only have Eurodiesel available here now, as the older type of diesel, found in the north, is banned due to its high sulphuric content. Under current legislation, nobody is allowed to purchase fuel from the occupied areas.”
When asked how Customs & Excise enforce the law and what procedures they follow, Hadjicostis said: “We have several ways in which we apply our controls at selective checkpoints, but for security reasons, we obviously cannot comment on this any further.”
Customs & Excise Director Zeta Emilianidou told yesterday’s Politis newspaper “specific checks on the purchase of fuel from the occupied areas are currently happening in accordance with EU Green Line regulations. Fuel from the north is not included in the items listed by the EU for trade across the Green Line.”
She said that there was an ongoing clampdown on people filling up their vehicles in the north. Customs checks started three and a half months ago, stopped for a very short period, and have now restarted.
“Most of the checks are taking place on larger vehicles such as trucks and vans. It would not be proper for me to comment on how the checks are taking place, but I can confirm there are different ways and methods customs officials use to carry out the checks.”
Hadjicostis went on to say that penalties vary, “depending on certain parameters which we take into account and on the quantities involved. They can include three years’ imprisonment or a fine which is three times the value of the goods.”
He said the law “is not to ensure the government receives revenue from petrol and diesel but is for environmental reasons, as the diesel found in the north is a terrible pollutant, thus our concern is to protect our environment.”
Andros Kittiris, inland production manager for Aeolos Travel, a company which organises coach trips to the occupied areas for tourists, said Aeolos was fully aware of the law and “would never dream of filling up their vehicles with cheaper diesel.”
According to Christos Petsides, Secretary of the Association of Cyprus Travel Agents, 50 coaches per week carry around 2,000 tourists to the north, in the high season.
