The Turkish Cypriot leader is challenging Ersin Tatar, declaring on Saturday that the illegal road being built in the dead zone in Pyla is still being built and will be completed, despite the international outcry afterwards and the attack on UN members.

“They tried to stop us through the UN, but we as “TRDBK” contacted Turkey and emphasized that we will complete this road, that they will not be able to stop us, and our operations continue as normala” claimed the Turkish Cypriot leader according to SKAI correspondent in Istanbul Manolis Kostidis.

Earlier, the suspension of the representative of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Omer Celik after the incidents in Pyla was provocative. It was preceded by provocative statements by Akif Çagatay Kilic, a diplomatic adviser to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who also referred to the “humanitarian purpose” of the road extension and declared that Ankara is determined to “protect the achievements of the Turkish Cypriots”.

Outside the dead zone, on the side of occupied Arsos, work continues on Saturday in the occupied areas to open the Arsos-Pylas road, the president of the Pyla Community Council, Simos Mytidis, however, pointed out, noting that about a month ago the occupying authorities had placed flags of the pseudo-state, inside the dead zone, 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 UN Peacekeeping Force men,” he said, and added to SIGMA that “today there are UN men monitoring the area, trying to do their job, as they should.”