Legal Measures Taken Against Turkish Cypriot Taxi Services in South Cyprus

The Politis newspaper reported that the proposed bill anticipates legal measures by the Greek Cypriot Administration against individuals and entities advertising taxi services with their personal vehicles on social media platforms.

The newspaper stated that Transport Minister Alexis Vafiadis, in his briefing at the Parliament, mentioned that the purpose of this bill is to combat those who transport tourists from Larnaca Airport to hotels and tourist facilities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus with taxis and minibuses bearing the "T" symbol. Vafiadis noted that the bill also covers buses that organize tours or transportation between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and South Cyprus.

The newspaper highlighted that the proposed legislation targets taxis and buses that travel through the crossing points in areas under the "effective control of the Republic of Cyprus" as private vehicles, not as commercial taxis or buses.

According to the report, the approval of the bill is expected to limit the situation against Greek Cypriot taxi and bus drivers.

The newspaper mentioned that the bill includes fines of 750 Euros for drivers violating the law and fines of up to 1500 Euros for the registered owner of the vehicle. In case of a repeat offense, the penalty could be imprisonment for up to 12 months or a fine of up to 5,000 Euros.