Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Government, Denis MacShane, emphasizes in
the article the legal complexities of the issue,
explaining: 'Ercan airport in north Cyprus has
not been designated as an approved inter-
national airport, so under the existing UK Cyprus
air services agreement, no regular direct flight
could operate to it from the UK'.
6
Cypriot citizens had already been crossing using
their passports/ID cards.
7
North Cyprus could be said to have slipped into
the gap between model and reality of the politi-
cal map of Cyprus, hence its current state of
limbo. The Cypriot territory established under
the 1960 Constitution, and still upheld by the
government of the Republic of Cyprus based in
the south, extends to the whole of the island,
with rights to citizenship of the Republicof
Cyprus similarly available to Turkish Cypriot
citizens of the TRNC. Thus, the acquis com-
munautaire is described as being merely sus-
pended in the north, whilst individual Turkish
Cypriots, as citizens of the Republic of Cyprus,
may enjoy the rights of individual EU citizenship
both in Cyprus and throughout the territory of
the EU.
8
Council Regulation (EC) No 866/2004 of 29 April,
2004, on a regime under Article 2 of Protocol
No. 10 of the Act of Accession as amended
by Council Resolution (EC) No.293/2005 of 17
February 2005.
9
See Baceli 'Thiswill be our best summer yet',
Cyprus Mail,21 June, 2005.
10
With exceptions for UN and other diplomatic/
governmental vehicles and the odd cyclist.
11
European Commission and European Parlia-
ment Conference, 'Facilitating Commercial
Activity Across the Green Line' Tuesday
2nd November 2004, Ledra Palace, Nicosia.
Content Report by the Management Centre
and Highway Communications
www.highway
12
In fact, some Turkish Cypriot drivers register
their taxis in the south and change their number
plates at the border in order to take passengers
to and from Larnaca airport. The duplication of
registration and insurance requirements increases
their operating costs significantly.
13
Restaurant menu boards written in Greek
around the harbour in Kyrenia, and large road-
side billboards advertising the casinos of the
north in Greek, are visible signs of the pres-
ence of Greek Cypriots in northern Cyprus,
although there is anecdotal evidence that
these numbers may be tailing off in the face of
the current polarization of political positions.
Turkish Cypriot tour parties to the south are
often informally arranged by private and family
groups who club together for the coach hire.
In a recent incident, seven coaches taking a
party of Turkish Cypriots for a day out to visit
the shrine of Hala Sultan near Larnaca were
allowed to cross, after a stand-off of some
three hours waiting at the checkpoint. Despite
the claims by the head of the Turkish Cypriot
coach operators' association, it is not yet
clear whether thiswill form a precedent. See
'Otob
v
slerimizle Hala Sultan'da', Kibris, 19 June
2005.
14
See further the Orams (note 18) and Hurma
Restaurant (note 19) case, below.
15
Baceli, 'Thiswill be our best summer yet',
Cyprus Mail, 21 June, 2005. According to the
head of the Turkish Cypriot Hoteliers Associa-
tion, on the other hand, 12 of the smaller
Turkish Cypriot hotels closed in the past year
(Beydarli, personal communication).
17
According to existing legislation, foreigners
may buy and sell properties in the north on
the approval of the Turkish Cypriot Councilof
Ministers, but risk losing their investment
in properties with anything other than original
Turkish Cypriot title deeds in the event of a settle-
ment (see Scott 1998). Since the floating of the
Annan Plan, there has been substantial
foreign interest in properties in the north, since
the plan suggests that foreigners too would be
compensated for their investments in the event
of a settlement.
18
ABritish couple, David and Linda Orams, who
built a villa on land owned by a Greek Cypriot
displaced person in the north, have been
sued in the NicosiaDistrict Court and ordered
to demolish the house and pay court costs
and
damages
of
CY£7654
(
?
13,166)
and
506.95) a month until the property
is returned to the original Greek Cypriot owner.
Since the entry of the Republic of Cyprus into
the EU, the court in Cyprus can request that the
judgement be enforced by the courts in the
UK, leading to the possibility of arrest and the
confiscation of the Orams' property assets in
Britain. See Warning by the Cyprus Embasy:
19
The original Greek Cypriot owner of the Hurma
Restaurant in Famagusta issuing the Turkish
Cypriot currently operating the restaurant
through the court in Larnaca and claiming
compensation of between CY£100,000 and
CY£250,000 for the loss of the property. See
'Rum
CY£294.41 (
?
Mahkemesi'ne
Itiraz':
13/05/05
