The Greek Cypriot Education Ministry has got itself into trouble with the South’s Foreign Ministry for using a Turkish airline company which flies to and from Ercan Airport.
It is understood that this was the third leg of the trip. The pupils flew to Athens first, then Istanbul, and then to Trabzon.
Greek Cypriot daily Phileleftheros reported that the South continues to ensure that Larnaca and Paphos are the only internationally recognised airports on the island, until there is a settlement in Cyprus.
However, the Education Ministry used Pegasus Airlines to carry a team of young athletes to Trabzon which lies on the Black Sea coast, to attend the 2016 World School Games.
A confidential note to the Permanent Undersecretary of the Education Ministry Egly Pantelakis read: “As far as the Foreign Ministry is aware, the arrangements for getting the Cypriot mission to Trabzon, included, amongst other things, flights with the Turkish company Pegasus”.
“It is noted that this company flies to and from the occupied areas [Tymbou airport (Ercan)] in violation of the Republic’s legislative charter. As a result, the Foreign Ministry considers the choice of this particular company to transport the Cypriot mission to Turkey to have been a poor one”.
Pantelakis was advised not to make similar travel arrangements in the future.
Earlier this month, Phileleftheros published figures showing that Pegasus carries the highest number of outgoing passengers on flights from Cyprus, from Ercan airport.
Cyprus Weekly
