‘Forget Dherynia crossing’ says activist

FAMAGUSTA Initiative activist Dr. Okan Dagli said on Friday the Dherynia crossing point will not be opened, neither simultaneously with Apliki in Lefka nor at any other time.

Dagli’s message on social media came a day after Turkish Cypriot ‘premier’ Huseyin Ozgurgun said they would not allow the opening of the Dherynia crossing if Lefka was not opened also.

Dagli said there was no authority in the north powerful enough to open the Dherynia crossing because it was the Turkish army that was raising obstacles.

According to the deal made between the Turkish Cypriot authorities and the military, a fence, which is laid alongside the road which leads to Famagusta, was supposed to be moved back a few meters to open the way for the new road.

The military would be provided with a new fence covered with a tarpaulin so that those using the road would not be able to see the fenced area of Famagusta (Varosha).

Dagli said the military did not move one foot and added that “with the money provided by the UNDP and the EU, the Turkish Cypriot local authorities had gained a 2.8km new road. Those who think they rule will be giving a 4km fence to the military in the demanded standard and the watch posts will be renewed. The part of the road in the buffer zone remains untouched. Works on the southern part of the crossing had been completed by the Dherynia municipality. This is the situation at the Dherynia road.”