The island’s leaders may have agreed this week to open two additional crossing points across the UN buffer zone, yet officials are now grappling with a mundane obstacle: one of the routes is still a dirt track. The Kampos–Karavostasi corridor in the rugged Tilliria region lacks a paved stretch on the Republic-controlled side, the Cyprus News Agency reported on 11 November. Technical-committee members will visit the site in the coming days to map land ownership, soil conditions and the works required to build a serviceable road. The second crossing, linking Louroujina (Akıncılar) with Lympia, is relatively straightforward, but the two sides have agreed that both points will open simultaneously—meaning the Kampos upgrade will dictate the overall timetable. The UN peacekeeping mission (UNFICYP) must also sign off on any construction inside the buffer zone itself, adding an extra layer of coordination. If completed, the new crossings will raise the total number along the 180-kilometre Green Line to eleven—the first expansion since the Dherynia and Apliki/Lefka points opened in 2018. For commuters, farmers and small businesses in remote communities the new links promise shorter journeys, cheaper logistics and more opportunities for cross-border trade. From a mobility perspective, each additional crossing eases congestion at the existing checkpoints and strengthens people-to-people contact, seen by the EU as a confidence-building measure. Companies that move goods between the two communities should prepare for potential changes in Green-Line Regulation procedures and update driver routing once an opening date is announced. The bicommunal technical committee is expected to finalise a work plan next week. While no target date has been set, officials privately hope to inaugurate the crossings before the summer tourist season—provided crews can turn the Kampos dirt track into a paved road in time.
Source: KNEWS
