The community leader of Avlona, Menelaos Savva, has informed both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations of a new incident involving an alleged violation of the buffer zone near the village by Turkish farmers.
Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), Savva said he came across the incident by chance at around 10.30am on Thursday, when he went to the buffer zone where he legally maintains and cultivates an orchard.
No permits
According to Savva, such incidents have been occurring frequently for some time. He described as particularly concerning the fact that the Turkish farmers are no longer cultivating only seasonal vegetables, but are now planting citrus trees, which constitute permanent crops.
He explained that under the agreement with the United Nations, only lawful owners with the appropriate permits are allowed to cultivate land within the buffer zone. The Turkish farmers, he said, do not have permits, as the land does not belong to them but to a Greek Cypriot resident of Avlona, who Savva said he knows personally.
UN peacekeepers carry out checks
The Avlona community leader said that despite repeated complaints submitted directly to the United Nations and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, there has so far been no response from the UN.
Savva said that following the report he submitted to the United Nations earlier on Thursday, UN peacekeepers appeared at two locations within the buffer zone - near the area in question and along the Avlona–Akaki road - and carried out checks on individuals entering the buffer zone.
However, he noted that the checkpoint was set up in an area where only Greek Cypriots pass through. He added that he himself was stopped by UNFICYP personnel, who asked to see his identity card and permit to enter the buffer zone. After examining the documents and taking photographs, they insisted on escorting him out of the buffer zone by vehicle.
Mr Savva said that, so far, there has been no response regarding Thursday’s incident.