The umbrella organisation for Lefke and its Region Civil Society Groups visited President Mustafa Akıncı yesterday, presenting him with a letter outlining their demands.
According a statement released by the organisation, the letter stated that no positive steps had been taken by the Greek Cypriot side or the United Nations to open the Aplıç-Kalopanagioti border crossing point despite the fact this was the first crossing promised to be opened after 2010.
“Our concern is that the Aplıç- Kalopanagioti crossing point will not open at the same time with the Derinya crossing point because of the delays in other preparations. As a result of this the opening of the Aplıç- Kalopanagioti crossing point will be delayed because of the reluctance of the Greek Cypriot side”, the letter said.
In the letter, they also thanked President Akıncı for his efforts towards the opening of the crossing point.
The letter also drew attention to the fact that although they had launched an initiative for the opening of the Aplıç- Kalopanagioti crossing point in 2003 soon after the opening of the first check-point, they had to put their efforts on hold as a result of the urgency of the opening of the Yeşilırmak-Pirgo crossing point which would make it easier for patients in South Cyprus to access the nearest hospital.
Stating that they had learned that a tender contract had recently been signed in the South for the crossing point and the construction of its road, the letter, however, added that they had not received any information regarding the tender for the area located within the buffer zone.
Expressing concern for the delay of the opening of the Aplıç- Kalopanagioti crossing as a result of the unwillingness of the Greek Cypriot side, the organisation requested Akıncı to act as mediator to solve this issue.
BRT