Cyprus drivers fill up in breakaway north

The queue of Greek Cypriot motorists waiting to cross a checkpoint into breakaway northern Cyprus is much longer than it used to be -- a plummeting Turkish lira means cheaper petrol prices there.

For many Greek Cypriots, buying goods in the north of the divided Mediterranean island is tantamount to treason. Turkish troops invaded in 1974 after a Greek-engineered coup seeking to unite the island with Greece, and tens of thousands of soldiers from mainland Turkey are still posted in its northern third.

The self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was unilaterally declared in 1983 and is recognised by Turkey alone. But now more and more people are giving in to temptation and driving north to buy cheaper fuel from the Turkish Cypriots.

“My salary is only 700 euros ($680)” monthly, said Fanourios Michail, a 60-year-old carpenter waiting at a Nicosia crossing. “I save about 200 euros a month by refuelling in the north.”

The internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus -- the European Union’s easternmost member -- uses the euro. But the Turkish Cypriots use the lira, which has sunk to historic lows this year. And the north also has much lower taxes on fuel.

According to police figures collated between January and August this year and compared with 2021, the number of cars going north through one of the island’s vehicle crossings has more than tripled from 197,230 to 601,749. Normally, moving between the two sides should not take more than a few minutes.

Drivers present their passport or ID card to police on the Greek Cypriot side, and then drive a few dozen metres (yards) to do the same with Turkish Cypriot police, who also verify that the car has valid insurance for the north.

But for the past several months, congestion at the checkpoints means it is now more common to have to wait half an hour to cross the narrow UN-controlled buffer zone. “Half of my customers are now Greek Cypriots, representing half of my turnover,” said Turkish Cypriot Mehmet Tel, who runs a petrol station about 500 metres from one of Nicosia’s crossing points.