Outside the dead zone, on the side of the occupied Arsos, the work continues today Saturday in the occupied areas for the opening of the Arsos – Pylas road, said the president of the Pylas Community Council Simos Mytidis, noting that about a month ago the occupying authorities had placed flags of the pseudo-state, inside the dead belt, which is a violation of status quo.

He added that “according to the information we have, today the work continues for the opening of the Arsos – Pylas road, outside the dead zone, on the side of Arsos”.

“Yesterday the work stopped, after the intervention of men of the UN Peacekeeping Force,” he said, and added that “today there are men of the United Nations and they are monitoring the area, trying to do their duties, as they should do.”

Answering a question, Mr. Mytidis said that “it has been a few days that we have noticed this whole case happening and the peace and harmony that existed in the Community has been disturbed and the residents are worried, both the E/k and the T/k”.

Mr. Mytidis also mentioned that “under no circumstances are the works for opening the road done for humanitarian reasons as claimed by the Turkish side or for the liberation of the Turkish Cypriots of Pyla, who enjoy all services free of charge and all the acquis of the European Union”.

Asked to state whether the Turkish Cypriots had ever been oppressed by the Greek side, he answered “no. What was happening was the queues of cars going from the barricades to the occupied areas for shopping or to fill up with gas, causing confusion, suffering Turkish Cypriots working in the occupied areas.”

At the same time, he continued “if we look at the map, one might wonder how the Pylas – Arsos road will help the Turkish Cypriot working in Varosi, since it will take longer to get there via Arsos than he would expect in line to get through the barricade.”

According to him “all these are simple excuses to serve the interests of the Turkish army which wants to have direct access to the K15 outpost and slowly bring under their jurisdiction this huge area of ​​Pyla, called “Plati”. without any of us having the right, to be able to plow or exploit his property as he has done until now”.

Asked how the Local Authority will act, Simos Mytidis replied that “we made our presentations, as we do constantly, we are in constant contact with the Government, the Ministers, the relevant Departments and even with the President of the Republic himself. We are concerned about the matter and I believe that appropriate efforts and actions are being taken to prevent the whole situation.”

To another question, the President of the Pylas Community Council answered that “about a month before the works started, they placed flags of the pseudo-state inside the dead zone, which was also a violation of the status quo”.

“Also, the post since 1974 that exists in the area is a violation of the status quo” noted, and repeated that “the purpose is to serve the military interests of the Turkish army and not the Turkish Cypriots of Pyla”.

At the same time, he expressed the hope that “the tension and turmoil that exists in the Community will stop”. “For me, for the first time the United Nations stood up, it was their duty to protect and monitor the dead zone” he said and added that “due to yesterday’s incidents, four people of the UN peacekeeping force were injured and this is something that we deeply regret”.

We believe, he continued, “that actions will be taken at a much higher level that will stop and prevent the work being done in the area. We cannot go and stop what the Turks are doing by ourselves, since the United Nations is responsible.”

The dead zone, said Mr. Mytidis “granted by the Republic of Cyprus in 1974, it is territory of the Republic of Cyprus and is under the control and supervision of the United Nations. So they must protect and they must preserve the peace and harmony that exists in the coexistence of the two communities in Pyla”.