President Ersin Ersin Tatar on Monday met with taxi drivers in light of a planned clampdown on Turkish Cypriot taxis and shuttle services operating in South Cyprus.

Those in attendance discussed “possible initiatives and steps that could be taken” in reaction.

The meeting was held at the Presidential Palace in Lefkoşa, and was attended by various sector representatives, as well as representatives of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of Tourism and the Department of Traffic.

Tatar’s Special Representative Güneş Onar, Legal Affairs advisor Sülen Karabacak, and confidence building measures and technical committees coordinator Seniha Birand Cinar also sat in on the meeting.

The meeting came after the Greek Cypriot administration had announced plans to effectively reduce the burden of proof to fine unlicensed taxi drivers, and that should the new legislation pass, fines can be levied based off an “evidence-based” system.

Turkish Cypriot drivers, given that their vehicles and licences are registered in the TRNC and not in the Greek Cypriot side, are classed by the Greek Cypriot administration as “unlicensed” taxi drivers.