More than 2,000 visit Varosha beach (with photos)

More than 2,000 people visited the beach in Varosha on Thursday, part of which was reopened that day by the Turkish side after 46 years, reports said on Friday.

According to Turkish Cypriot paper Kibris Postasi, in total 2,332 people entered the area between noon and 5pm when the gate closed.

Visitors are allowed in between 9am and 5 pm.

The area, that allows access to part of the Varosha beach, was opened following a meeting between ‘prime minister’ Ersin Tatar with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara earlier this week.

Tatar, who visited the area on Thursday afternoon, refuted accusations that this was an election ploy to get him elected on Sunday but a step made in light of developments in the eastern Mediterranean.

He added that further steps would follow at a later stage on the issue of Varosha properties.

He said Varosha could contribute to Famagusta’s economy and expand tourism.

Tatar said in Varosha many hotels and businesses have been left to fall into disrepair and this did not befit humanity.

Though the policy was that Varosha would be returned in the case of a federal solution, no agreement was reached at the Crans-Montana talks in 2017 because of the Greek Cypriot side and despite the Turkish Cypriots’ good will for such a solution, he said.

According to Tatar, a step has been taken as regards Varosha, which implements UN resolutions and international law and the properties can be returned to the old owners through the immovable properties commission (IPC) which is recognised by the EU and the rest of the world. Hundreds of Greek Cypriots have already appealed to it, he said, adding that not opening the fenced area and not returning the property is against human rights.

He reiterated the claim that in Varosha there are many properties that belong to the Turkish Cypriot foundation that manages religious endowments, Evkaf.

Tatar said the IPC would decide what to return to whom.