Emotional pensioners and giggling teenagers swarmed the narrow street
Greek and Turkish Cypriots were yesterday united in celebrating the historic opening of Nicosia’s Ledra Street.
People started to gather on either side of the 80 metre strip of road from as early as 7.30am, a feeling of tension and excitement in the air. The area was swarming with local and foreign press, waiting for the moment when people from both communities would be allowed to pass across a barrier that has for 44 years kept what was once the capital’s busiest shopping district divided.
Lively chanting and whistling could be heard from the Turkish Cypriot side as early as 8.45am.
“Peace cannot be obstructed in Cyprus,” the crowd cried.
At 9.26am around 50 multicoloured balloons were released into the sky. Cheers erupted on both sides. Police from both communities prepared to allow the sea of people to pass through as easily as possible. UN soldiers milled around as journalists excitedly went on air to record the historic moment. Foreign press kept their mobiles clutched to their ears as they gave their networks a detailed account of the events as they started to unfold.
One of the first people to cross over was Christos Komodromou, who admitted he was doing so with mixed feelings.
“I feel so-so. I haven’t been here since 1963. I am originally from the occupied areas but then moved to Australia when the troubles started. This should have been done forty years ago before it was divided,” said the 63-year-old.
Christofis Petri, 73, said this was his first time over in 45 years.
“I feel a huge sense of relief. My chest feels lighter, full of air. Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots can mix again like they did once before. We got on well together, we were friends, we worked together. My employer used to be Turkish,” the Dikomo refugee said.
The shoemaker said he’d felt a tightening in his chest as he watched the balloons soaring high up into the air and out of sight.
“I feel a lot of hope. We have to live together now. It will be better,” he said.
Eighty-nine-year-old Georgios Shakides said he had been waiting for the checkpoint to open since 8am.
“I waited, standing. I did not want to miss it. I wanted to see it,” he said.
Originally from Lapitho in Kyrenia, Shakides said that to feel really good he needed to know something “official had happened … That there is going to be a solution”.
He said: “For now this is something symbolic. It’s not something positive. There is a small hope that it will lead to something positive. For now I came to see.”
The pensioner, who used to be a greengrocer, said he had often travelled to Nicosia and passed through the old, familiar footpath, yesterday dotted with flower pots containing small olive bushes and a colourful array of spring blossoms.
“I used to come to the Nicosia municipal market to shop … Things are all very different now. The buildings are all changed,” he said.
The 89-year-old said he’d spent about half an hour in occupied Nicosia before crossing back.
“I haven’t been across since the Invasion,” he added.
Evgenia Petsa, 65, was more emotional.
“It’s a very nice feeling. People have been waiting for this for years,” she said.
“I’m happy that Ledra Street has opened,” she said.
For others it was just another checkpoint opening.
“I think it’s a good move forward, but it’s purely symbolic at this point,” one man was overheard telling his companion.
“I know, but it’s still very exciting. It’s a move in the right direction. I’m very excited to be here,” his companion replied.
Mehmet Mustafa, 70, said the opening was a good start, but that he hoped the Greek Cypriot authorities put an end to checking Greek Cypriots’ bags and pockets for possible purchases made in the north as it was “undemocratic”.
Nevertheless, “I feel that this will be a start for a final solution,” he said.
“To open a passage is nothing if you don’t have a result. The most important thing is the psychological effect this will have on the people of both communities,” Mustafa said.
Maria Constantinou, 63, failed to get across because she had only brought her driver’s licence.
“Never mind. I’ll come back another day. I’m still very happy, very moved. I hope this goes all the way and leads to a solution. I feel a real sense of satisfaction,” she said.
Ambrosia Sakkadas, 44, stood clutching a bottle of champagne, full glass in hand. This was her first time crossing over to the occupied areas.
“It feels fantastic,” she said. “I’ve never been to the other side and feel ready today for some reason.”
She said she’d popped open the champagne the minute the balloons had gone up.
“I feel quite emotional actually… I don’t think it should only be looked at as a commercial move that will bring a lot of business to Ledra Street. Maybe a beginning to some sort of a solution, whether some like it or not we have to start being a bit more positive otherwise we’re just going to end up divided.”
Greek nationals Leonidas Philipakopoulos and his wife Koulla Prousalidou said they had also wanted to share in the historic moment.
Although the couple have only been living on the island for the past five months, they said they felt overwhelmed.
“We’ve been fighting for Cyprus since the 50s. It’s very emotional,” Philipakopoulos said.
Another Turkish Cypriot man could hardly contain his enthusiasm as he prepared to go back across to the Turkish Cypriot side.
Using the little English that he knew, a grinning 38-year-old Mustafa Ali Altiner said he felt “very good and hopeful” that the divided city had opened up its main street.
Further up the road a group of jubilant schoolgirls from Archangelos Gymnasium expressed their disappointment that they’d failed to get across.
“We were brought here to see this [historic event], but weren’t allowed to go over because we didn’t have any passports,” the giggling 14-year-olds chorused.
“I’m sad I didn’t get over because I wanted to see it [occupied Nicosia],” one girl said.
“I’m actually happy that we got as far as we did and saw what we did. At least it was something. At least we were here,” said another.
A small crowd of German tourists eagerly snapped photos of the checkpoint.
Elisabet Seame, 51, said she remembered when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989.
“This reminds me of that. It was a great feeling for Germans and I hope it is for the people here also,” she said. “It’s exciting to be here and to share in this.”
Haris Touliatos, 68, said he’d felt so emotional about the whole event that his hair had stood on end. Up until yesterday he said he’d only ever stood at the checkpoint and peered across to the other side, wondering what it would feel like to finally walk across.
“Thankfully I lived to see this day. If it hadn’t opened now, I don’t know when I’d have seen it. I’m not getting any younger,” he said.
Maroulla Koundoura, 60, said she remembered walking along the old street as a young teen to buy sewing threads for her embroidery.
“I used to live in Trachonas. It would take about five minutes on foot to come to Nicosia. My father used to work at KEM [a Nicosia transport company],” she said.
“Today I feel very emotional. I haven’t been over since it closed,” she added.
The 60-year-old said she had arrived only minutes after the opening ceremony, but that she planned on watching it on the news last night.
“I’ll watch it all on TV tonight. Definitely. I’m not going to miss it,” she said.
Some people didn’t even try to get across. They were simply happy to come down, see what the fuss was all about, and then leave.
“It’s far too busy today. There are too many people and I don’t want to wait in that long queue of people. I’ll come back another day during the week when it’s quieter,” 78-year-old Michalis Yiavris said.
