‘STOP PCR PREJUDICE IN SOUTH’

THE “discrimination” in opposition to individuals with Covid check outcomes and vaccination playing cards issued within the TRNC should cease, a Turkish Cypriot organisation has demanded.

Taken from this week’s difficulty

 

By ELTAN HALİL

The decision was made by the “Direct Flights to North Cyprus” (DFNCyprus) group following quite a few experiences in latest days of UK and EU-bound passengers being instructed at Larnaca and Paphos airports that their detrimental PCR check outcomes from the TRNC’s Well being Ministry will not be legitimate for flying – although the identical exams are acceptable when crossing from North to South.

The passengers affected have been instructed they have to bear one other check on the airport at their very own expense.

With Turkey nonetheless on England’s Covid “purple listing”, flying to the UK through Turkey from Ercan airport and having to pay 1000’s of kilos in quarantine charges isn’t an possibility for many.

The UK can be not accepting Covid vaccination playing cards issued within the TRNC for the aim of quarantine-free journey for vaccinated individuals from “amber” international locations – which is the present standing of Cyprus – as reported by Cyprus At this time final week.

“Turkish Cypriots and TRNC residents are actively being discriminated in opposition to by the UK authorities, the Republic of Cyprus, the EU in addition to industrial airways all as a result of their Covid vaccinations have been administered within the TRNC,” DFNCyprus stated.

“Moreover, PCR exams performed within the TRNC are sporadically being rejected with no clear cause why.

“We’re anxious that these new ‘necessities’ will set a precedent for future points and solely enhance the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot neighborhood.

“As a Turkish Cypriot organisation, we consider within the equal rights of all residents of Cyprus and as a guarantor state inside Cyprus the UK should be certain that there are not any prejudices by supporting each citizen of Cyprus equally.

“We’re involved that on this new post-Covid period we’re coming into the Turkish Cypriot neighborhood and TRNC residents by affiliation, via these decisive actions, will likely be uncovered to even higher xenophobia. 

“As such, we’re urging the UK authorities, the RoC authorities and the EU to take corrective motion and to simply accept TRNC-issued PCR exams and vaccinations.

“Moreover, airways have begun issuing their very own stipulations alongside guidelines outlined by the RoC authorities which has additional sophisticated issues for the Turkish Cypriot neighborhood.

“Conflicting guidelines and ranging necessities have added pointless stress for passengers in an already disturbing interval as a result of pandemic. 

“Due to this fact, we urge the concerned governments to deal with our issues as a matter of precedence and ask that airways utilizing the airports of RoC – British Airways, Cyprus Airways, easyJet, Wizz air and Jet2 – observe go well with.”

A spokeswoman for the British Excessive Fee (BHC) in South Nicosia instructed this paper yesterday: “The British Excessive Fee is conscious of experiences of this nature and is searching for clarification from the Republic of Cyprus. Our Journey Recommendation will replicate any official recommendation we obtain.”

Requested if the BHC has any recommendation to British residents within the TRNC who’re planning to fly out of the island through Larnaca or Paphos airports, the spokeswoman added: “We advise all travellers with questions or issues about pre-departure testing to hunt recommendation instantly from their airline effectively forward of journey.”

On Wednesday Folks’s Occasion chief and former overseas minister Kudret Özersay met with Deputy British Excessive Commissioner Ben Rawlings to raises the problems.

“The issues skilled by individuals who have had their vaccinations [in the TRNC], particularly our younger individuals learning in EU international locations and the UK, when travelling and coming into overseas international locations with out quarantine, have been mentioned with [Mr] Rawlings,” he stated.

“Sensible options ought to be put in place instantly in order that our individuals don’t endure. This drawback ought to be resolved.

“Because the opposition, we’ll proceed to do our half, convey our resolution proposals to overseas counterparts and keep it up following up on the problem.”

Cemal Özyiğit, chief of the Social Democracy Occasion, met with BHC second secretary Elizabeth Kumar at his half social gathering headquarters, throughout which he requested that the BHC “take an initiative” to remove the issues.

President Ersin Tatar stated that his particular consultant Ergün Olgun is “persevering with negotiations on this difficulty on my behalf with the related events” and stated the problems shouldn’t be changed into a “political” matter.

“The Greek Cypriot Administration accepts our vaccine [cards] and PCR exams and we settle for theirs,” he stated. 

“There are crossings between the 2 sides, and but within the EU context, [they] don’t settle for our vaccines and exams. . . We’re at present attempting to unravel this difficulty with cause, logic and thru dialogue. . . The Well being Ministry can be following up on this. 

“Finally, it is a humanitarian difficulty. The Greek Cypriot aspect ought to strategy this positively, they need to not look down on my individuals or persecute them.

“It could not be proper for them to show this right into a political difficulty and trigger us pointless bother.”

The TRNC’s London training and tradition attaché Metin Harper stated that some airways are refusing to simply accept PCR check outcomes from the TRNC.

“Simply as every nation has its personal entry guidelines, airline firms even have their very own guidelines,” he stated.

“Some firms think about PCR exams within the North ample whereas others need PCR or antigen exams from the South. On this regard, there are laboratories within the South that may additionally do testing.

“It’s solely vital to search out out from which aspect the airline firm accepts a PCR check.

“Discovering out and getting it achieved 72 hours upfront will present probably the most snug flight.

“They’ll additionally get this data from us. My WhatsApp quantity is 0044 738 821 9411, anybody who desires to can contact me and get data.”

In the meantime MEP Niyazi Kızılyürek, a member of the Greek Cypriot social gathering Akel, has referred to as on the Greek Cypriot authorities to create a “digital platform” for “Turkish Cypriots and different Cypriots overseas to enter their private data and procure a Digital Covid-19 Vaccine Certificates”.