The village of Pyroi’s mukhtar-in-exile Georgia Ioannou on Friday called for a crossing point to be constructed in her village.
She was speaking after a meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides, during which she said she had discussed both the matter of a potential crossing point and the issue of maintenance to the village’s church, which dates back to the Byzantine period.
“Christodoulides promised us that [the crossing point] is the next step, together with one in Mia Milia,” she said.
Pyroi would be a convenient place for a crossing point to be placed for a relatively large proportion of Cyprus’ population. The village is located just west of the town of Athienou, and thus a crossing point could offer an alternative and quicker route to Nicosia for residents of the town and its surrounding villages.
Additionally, it is located immediately south of Ercan (Tymbou) airport.
On the matter of the church, Ioannou expressed her hope that renovations will be carried out, “because it has been 50 years since we last went to our village and rang the church’s bell”.
She said that in this regard, things are “looking more positive compared to earlier when there was a big no”.
“Right now, we are getting positive responses,” she added.
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar had earlier said he was pushing for there to be a new crossing point opened in Mia Milia.
He had said the proposal had met a stumbling block when the Greek Cypriot side suggested the opening of a crossing point in Kokkina, the Turkish Cypriot exclave between Pomos and Kato Pyrgos.
Tatar poured cold water on the idea of a crossing point in Kokkina, saying that it is not possible to open a crossing point there as it is a “sacred area” and functions as a military base. He added that thus far he had not been able to offer a different alternative.
