WHETHER around 2,000 Bulgarian Turks living in north Cyprus would be allowed to travel south of the Green Line remained a mystery yesterday, despite Bulgaria’s accession to the EU on Monday.
Government Spokesman Christothoulos Pashardis said the government was considering the issue and would issue a statement today.
Regarded by the Cypriot government as illegal settlers, the immigrant Bulgarian community in the north has been prevented from crossing south – even though the Green Line regulation introduced in May 2004 allows for the free movement of all European citizens. Around 2,000 Bulgarian Turks have been living in north Cyprus since they fled their native Bulgaria in the mid 1980s during efforts by the then-communist government to assimilate them. Despite the collapse of communism, many did not return to Bulgaria, preferring to stay on the island.
Yesterday, the head of the Bulgarian Turkish Cultural Association Osman Tahir told the Mail he had received from the Bulgarian foreign ministry that all Bulgarians living in north Cyprus would, from January 1 onward, be free to travel to all parts of the EU, including the government-controlled parts of the island. He remained cautious, however, over whether the Cypriot government would allow members of his community to cross the Green Line. During the June 2005 European elections, around 100 members of his association attempted to cross into south Nicosia to cast their votes at the Bulgarian Embassy. They were prevented from crossing by police in riot gear.
“They [the Cypriot government] tend to interpret the law as they wish, so it remains to be seen what will happen” Tahir said. He added that he had no information on whether the policy of Greek Cypriot police at the Green Line had changed since January 1.
The Bulgarian Embassy in Nicosia was yesterday unavailable for comment, but at the time of the European elections in 2005 it came out strongly in support of the Bulgarian Turkish community saying that under the Green Line regulation all Bulgarians on the island should have complete freedom of movement because Bulgarians fell into “a category of third country nationals who do not need a visa to travel to Cyprus”. This right, it said, should apply regardless of whether they entered the island from north or south.
