Newsroom
Turkish Cypriot ''officials'' are raising the alarm over reports that new rules at Cyprus’ checkpoints could spark fresh tensions on the divided island.
“The last thing we want is a new crisis,” said Gunes Onar, special representative of Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, in comments to the Cyprus Post.
Turkish Cypriot media reported that, as of August 25, only Republic of Cyprus or European Union ID cards are being accepted at the crossing points into the government-controlled south. Holders of ID cards issued by the Turkish Cypriot administration, which the Republic of Cyprus considers invalid, would no longer be able to cross. According to those reports, even individuals with Cypriot birth certificates would need to carry a copy of a parent’s Republic of Cyprus ID.
But Greek Cypriot authorities pushed back, saying the claims are unfounded. “The procedure at the roadblocks has not changed, and crossings continue as normal,” a police spokesman told the Cyprus News Agency, stressing that transit operations remain “unhindered” and that free movement for Cypriots, EU citizens and legal residents is being safeguarded. The only difference, he said, is that police now record some additional information from those presenting IDs issued by the Turkish Cypriot administration.
Onar said Turkish Cypriot officials had already raised the issue with the UN peacekeeping mission in Cyprus and the bicommunal checkpoint committee to avoid “unnecessary speculation.” The Association of Turkish Cypriot Workers in the South, which first reported the alleged changes, said it is still in contact with authorities and will update the public.
Crossings between the occupied north and the government-controlled south, a lifeline for thousands of workers, students and families, remain one of the most sensitive issues on the island, divided since Turkey’s 1974 invasion. Even minor procedural shifts can ripple into political disputes, underscoring how fragile day-to-day coexistence remains.
