President Ersin Tatar addressed the issue of heavy congestion at the Metehan border crossing during a meeting with Lefkoşa Turkish Municipality (LTB) Mayor Mehmet Harmancı.

He emphasized the urgent need for measures to ease the bottleneck and highlighted ongoing efforts to address the situation.

Speaking during the visit, President Ersin Tatar recalled his recent discussion with Colin Stewart, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Cyprus, where he proposed the opening of a new crossing at Haspolat.

He noted that this new crossing could alleviate the traffic burden at Metehan and serve as a key hub due to its proximity to Larnaca and other regions.

The President described the Haspolat crossing as a significant step towards enhancing commercial ties between the two communities, particularly in facilitating the movement of goods and materials under the Green Line Regulation.

He stressed that enabling cross-border trade through Haspolat could have a positive impact on easing traffic at Metehan.

However, Tatar also pointed out that the Greek Cypriot administration has specific conditions for the proposal, and he rejected their suggestion of “transit passage.”

He also touched upon the stalled Pile-Yiğitler road project, citing public dissatisfaction due to the delays.

Mayor Harmancı expressed his support for a new crossing in Lefkoşa, calling it a necessity given the volume of traffic at Metehan, which is the busiest crossing point.

He shared that the LTB has been actively engaging in discussions and initiatives to address this pressing issue.

The proposal for the Haspolat crossing remains a focal point in efforts to improve connectivity and ease congestion, with both leaders calling for practical solutions to address the needs of the Turkish Cypriot community.