Newsroom
The so-called “mayor” of the occupied area of Famagusta, Suleiman Ulucai, announced plans for a new beach restaurant to open this summer inside the closed-off city of Varosha, raising fresh tensions amid the ongoing division of Cyprus.
Ulucai said the restaurant will be operated by the “municipality” under Turkish control, marking another development in the area that remains fenced off since 1974. He also claimed that all beaches stretching from the Klapsides area up to the closed Varosha zone have now been opened to the public, signaling further moves by the Turkish administration.
According to the Turkish Cypriot news outlet My Kıbrıs, Ulucai described the recently opened beaches during the Feast of Sacrifice as “the most beautiful beaches in the country,” and encouraged locals and visitors to try out the new restaurant.
The beaches he named as ready for the new tourist season include Klapsides, Palm Beach, several points within the closed Varosha area, and the beach near Deryneia. He also thanked the “municipality” authorities and “security forces administration” for their cooperation in opening beaches located in “military zones.”
The developments come amid continuing disputes over Varosha, a once-thriving resort town abandoned during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and fenced off ever since. The reopening of parts of Varosha’s beaches and new business operations are viewed by many in the Greek Cypriot community and international observers as provocative actions that undermine efforts for reunification.
Cyprus remains divided between the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus and the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Turkey. Varosha’s status is one of the most sensitive issues in ongoing peace talks.
The Press and Information Office has yet to comment on the latest announcements by Ulucai.
