Germans call for freedom of movement to and from south Cyprus

Attack by the Republic of Cyprus on the freedom of movement and economic existence of EU citizens……..

Introduction by Chris Elliott……

Our German friend Roland Eyerich, who lives here in the TRNC has alerted us to a petition being directed at the EU Parliament, EU Commission, EU citizens, Federal Republic of Germany and others entitled “Attack by the Republic of Cyprus on the freedom of movement and economic existence of EU citizens.” click here and you can read the content of this below in English and it makes a very eye opening reading.

Through Cyprusscene we have supported many times calls for the embargo on the Turkish Republic of Northern to be ended and for direct flights from the UK to TRNC be started and in our last article ” Direct flights for Northern Cyprus and why not, have your say! “ we linked to a UK petition click here which has had 8,424 signatures to date and on reaching 10,000 the UK government has to respond and at 100,000 signatures this will be considered for debate in Parliament so keep on signing and don’t let the naysayers have their way any longer.

Attack by the Republic of Cyprus on the freedom of movement and economic existence of EU citizens.

Petition started by Lawyer Hans-Jürgen Hantsche 

The EU and Germany are asked to restore freedom of movement for EU citizens between the north and south of Cyprus. The Green Line regulation must be complied with again!

Why is that important?

1. The EU and Germany must be induced to take effective measures against the RepCy (Republic of Cyprus) in order to fully guarantee our fundamental right to free movement (including Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 21 TFEU and Article 45 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights).
2. We must not allow the economic existence of an entire population group, here the Turkish Cypriots of Northern Cyprus, to be destroyed and the RepCy to be unjustifiably enriched at the expense of the poorest. This is criminal and a shame for the EU.
3. We must not allow EU citizens to be used as a weapon to achieve economic or political goals and to take an entire population group (Turkish Cypriots) hostage.
4. The German press completely ignores the events. The restriction of our basic right and the threat to the existence of the Turkish Cypriots is not worth noting, despite positive knowledge.

Below is the background for those interested. It is worth reading on. You will find some things hard to believe, but they are true. The author is a Berlin lawyer and is concerned himself and represents other affected German citizens.

What happened?

Due to a unilateral decision, the RepCy has completely closed the Green Line (the border between southern and northern Cyprus) for all (not only EU) tourists. The result is that tourists are no longer allowed to pass the Green Line, either from south to north or vice versa from north to south. The RepCy thus violates applicable international law, because the permeability of the Green Line must then be guaranteed.

Official reason, illegality:

The RepCy officially justifies the closure of the Green Line with the reduction of the pandemic-related infection risk. However, there is no increased risk of infection due to the opening of the Green Line, as you will soon understand. This reasoning is obviously put forward to give the measure the appearance of legality. The measure is therefore illegal.

Why is the official justification wrong?

Northern Cyprus (approx. 320,000 inhabitants) is one of the countries with the lowest number of cases worldwide (as of August 9, 2020: total 171, recovered 137, tests carried out 83,301, 4 deaths).

South Cyprus (approx. 900,000 inhabitants) currently has 1,242 cases, 870 recovered, tests 232,987 carried out, 19 deaths. South Cyprus consequently has both proportionally and absolutely higher numbers of cases and deaths than North Cyprus.

1. The following persons are allowed to cross the Green Line in both directions, provided they can prove a current negative PCR test:
   – Cypriots on both sides,
   – Foreigners who live in of the RepCy – i.e. South Cyprus – have a residence permit
2. The entry of European tourists in particular via airports and shipping ports into the RepCy is permitted for almost all countries in Europe and other countries if a current negative PCR test is presented upon entry. People from some countries with an increased infection rate may have to post a second PCR test until the result is available in quarantine or can then move freely in South Cyprus.
3.  Tourists who were already in Northern Cyprus at the time the Green Line was closed are not allowed to cross the Green Line to Southern Cyprus under any circumstances, because the government of the RepCy does not allow this, even if the people have a current negative PCR test can and even though they come from an area whose case numbers are significantly lower.
4. Given all of this, it is logically not possible that passing tourists (who have already entered the country with a negative PCR test or who have to show a quarantine with a subsequent negative PCR test) can negatively influence the infection process in South Cyprus . However, since a new negative PCR test would have to be proven after returning, the return cannot pose a greater risk to these tourists than if they had stayed in South Cyprus the entire time.
   Even then, harassing individual cases against German citizens

EU tourists in Northern Cyprus will not be allowed to enter the south, even if they were already registered before July 1st. booked a return flight from the south;

A German from Northern Cyprus was not allowed to enter the south, although he only wanted to pick up medicines for his wife from a post office box in the south – the German embassy did not help either;

Several Germans who wanted to go from the south to the north were cursed at the checkpoint by South Cypriot officials just because they wanted to go north.

Tourism is the economic lifeline of both parts of Cyprus

After the pandemic-related development allowed it again, the entry restrictions in both parts of Cyprus were relaxed again from July 1st, 2020. Tourism was revived. Due to the closure of the Green Line from July 1st, 2020, only South Cyprus could benefit from this. At all RepCy airports, tourists were immediately made familiar with the fact that it was not possible to continue to Northern Cyprus. Hotels in the south were found for tourists at the airports.

With this, Northern Cyprus was de facto excluded from tourism. As in many other countries, the situation there had been dramatic by then. All people in Northern Cyprus who had hoped for an economic recovery have been deprived of their livelihood, tourism, in an inhuman way by Southern Cyprus.

Neither the German government nor the EU are doing anything about it, although they are well aware of the situation.

Please take part in this petition to restore our right to freedom of movement.

Editor’s note: It would seem both the German and British Government have no interest in contesting the Greek Cypriot Administration actions and we have seen a number of references to the British High Commission on this issue in articles we have received and published.

“GREEN LINE CROSSING ISSUES

We are well aware that the Greek Cypriot administration are using the current COVID-19 emergency as a reason to exclude anyone, other than GCs and some RoC permanent residents, from crossing from the South into the TRNC. 

This is a flagrant breach of EU rules regarding Free Movement between both sides.  Although there are isolated instances of Foreign nationals being able to cross the Green Line, it appears that these are being facilitated through the relevant Embassy teams.

We have received requests that we enlist the help of the British High Commission to assist UK nationals (Members) crossing the Green Line in order to catch flights that they have booked.  The British High Commission has so far refused to assist in these requests which they do not see as ‘for humanitarian’ reasons.

They seem reluctant to upset the Greek Cypriot administration!”