Ertuğruloğlu: Shutting Crossings to Punish the GC Side Is Not the Right Move

Speaking on Ada TV’s programme, Ertuğruloğlu reiterated his longstanding opposition to the idea of opening new crossing points, and expressed a firm stance against fully shutting the current ones.

“I’ve repeatedly said that I’m not in favour of opening new crossings, and my position hasn’t changed,” Ertuğruloğlu said, pointing out that certain existing checkpoints are used exclusively by Greek Cypriots.

“There are currently nine crossings. I would say it might be useful to close one or two that are only used by the Greek Cypriots. But that should not be confused with the idea of shutting all of them,” he added.

Ertuğruloğlu warned that closing all crossings could harm the Turkish Cypriot side and emphasized that his stance on the matter was clear: “We should not be closing crossings just to punish the Greek Cypriots. That’s not a move I support, and I won’t support it in the future.”

Criticising Greek Cypriot policies for reinforcing the island’s division, he argued, “The Greek Cypriot side’s narrow-minded, racist and fanatical attitude only serves to highlight the reality of two states. This may not be the intended outcome of their policies, but it is where things are heading.”

Ertuğruloğlu concluded by underlining the need for a strategic approach: “Opening too many crossings risks rendering the border meaningless, while shutting all of them has its own consequences. We need to act rationally and strategically.”

Source: ADA TV