The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus reacted to the decision of the new arrangements by the UK in respect of flights from the TRNC via Turkey.
The decision of the United Kingdom for passengers to disembark for security control in Turkey was on the agenda at the meeting of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment on Friday 26th May 2017.
Ministry of Tourism Undersecretary, Ismet Esenyel, said that the decision was unacceptable and that a letter would be written to the authorities and an explanation about the matter would be requested.
In the statement made by the Ministry of Tourism, it was pointed out that the decision was a political intervention in the country’s tourism.
A meeting was held at the Ministry of Tourism and Environment regarding the new arrangements brought by the UK authorities in respect of flights originating from Turkey, and that passengers flying from Ercan to Stansted with Pegasus Airlines would have to disembark at Sabiha Gökçen (Istanbul) and Adnan Menderes Airports (Izmir) in Turkey for security control checks.
According to the information given by the Ministry, the meeting was attended by the Undersecretary of Tourism and Environment İsmet Esenyel, the General Director of Pegasus Cyprus Zeki Ziya and the Chairman of KITSAB Orhan Tolun and the NGOs ‘British Residents Society’, ‘Anglo Turkish Association’, ‘Russian Speaking Association’, ‘Foreign Residents in the TRNC’, ‘Cyprusscene’ and ‘Cyprus Today’.
At the end of the meeting, it was stated that the decision of the United Kingdom was absolutely unacceptable and should be questioned.
Undersecretary Esenyel said that the passengers who will travel from the TRNC cannot understand or see any sense in having to change planes and to go through security control in the Republic of Turkey. Esenyel said, letters should be written to the authorities by the expatriate NGO’s in which an explanation for the new ruling should be requested.
Esenyel noted that a decision for the NGO’s to contact the British High Commissioner should be made to question the purpose of the officials who have signed such an unfortunate decision which has been taken in respect of the so-called security of the TRNC.
Esenyel stated that the decision has been taken as a political intervention in the tourism of the country, which has had a significant rise in recent years, and this decision is unacceptable. The people living in the TRNC, and the NGOs they are affiliated with, will be followers of this issue.
Editor’s Note: To read the cyprusscene.com review of the meeting (which they attended) click here
