Paphos People

The government would welcome the opening of additional crossing points which improve the relationship of the two communities, deputy government spokeswoman Doxa Komodromou said on Wednesday, as she received a petition for opening the Pyroi connection to the north.

Pyroi residents have called on the government to open the crossing point in their village near Athienou, with a petition from the community council and the refugee association of the village ‘The Pyroi’ addressed to the President Nikos Christodoulides and House president Annita Demetriou.

The petition was received on Wednesday morning by the deputy government spokeswoman at the presidential palace.

Christodoulides recently met the committee of occupied municipalities and listened to their opinions which were promoted for technical study.

It is understood that the opening of the Pyroi crossing point has been a long-standing request of the villagers with the main aim to ease travel.

In her statements, Komodromou noted that the government welcomes the opening of new crossing points, which she said improve contact and communication between the two communities.

She explained the opening of the Pyroi passage would not only facilitate Larnaca, but also the government-controlled area of Famagusta with faster access to Nicosia. It would also help resolve the traffic problem at the entrance of Nicosia, which is increasingly troubling drivers.

The distance from Athienou to Aglandjia before 1974 was just seven to eight minutes by car, while now the traveling distance takes over an hour, she noted.

“We demand the withdrawal of all troops from Pyroi with the aim of opening the Nicosia – Larnaca road, which will greatly help the traffic problem of Nicosia and will connect the provinces of Nicosia and Larnaca through Pyroi,” Pyroi refugees say in their petition.

The head of the village’s Refugee Association Panagiotis Savvidis told CNA that “for a long time we have been asking for the opening of the passage because it will facilitate a lot of people and it is important that it is opened”.

The petition was signed by the president of the Pyroi community council, Gina Ioannou, and the president of the ‘The Pyroi’ Refugee Association Panagiotis Savvidis.

The need for opening more crossing points has resurfaced this year. The move was also among the suggestions in the recent reports of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to promote more contact between the two sides.

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