Heavily used for vehicle crossings, the Metehan checkpoint faced a halt in its improvement work due to these violations.
State Planning Organisation Under Secretary Durlali Güçlüsoy blamed the UN for the halt, while CTP MP Fikri Toros cited hindrances in crossing point negotiations since Ersin Tatar’s presidency.
Güçlüsoy mentioned, “We disagreed with the UN on border definitions, reevaluating the project.” He noted no response from the south on opening more crossing points.
The project at Metehan, involving improvements on both sides, was paused due to border definition disagreements. Work continues on other project aspects such as roads and lighting.
CTP MP Fikri Toros criticised the lack of infrastructure improvements and noted that congestion remains a problem, made worse by the summer heat.
According to the newspaper report, since Ersin Tatar became president, negotiations stalled as he abandoned the UN framework, accepting non-solution as an alternative. This disrupted both comprehensive solution negotiations and confidence-building measures.
Toros emphasised the need for additional crossing points, including Haspolat, Kiracıköy, Luricina, and Pyrgos, which would alleviate congestion at Metehan and benefit both communities economically and culturally.
He suggested opening pedestrian crossings at Famagusta Gate and Baf Gate in Nicosia to enhance the area’s appeal as a cultural and faith centre.
Current conditions prevent negotiations on confidence-building measures, as the Turkish Cypriot side demands recognition of sovereign equality and international status before returning to the UN table, making both comprehensive solution negotiations and confidence-building measures unfeasible.
