More than 100,000 visits to Varosha since October

More than 103,000 visits to the fenced area of Varosha were recorded since October when part of it opened to the wider to the wider public, reports said on Tuesday.

According to media reports in the north, 103,118 visits were recorded to since the town was partially opened to the public on October 8 for the first time since 1974.

Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi reported that among the visitors were also Greek Cypriots and people from other countries.

The closed off area is popular among visitors, the daily said, especially during the weekends.

The paper also reports that the recent redevelopment of public infrastructure and the bicycle lane enables visitors to tour the area more easily.

The Turkish side opened part of Varosha to the wider public just before the second round of the ‘presidential’ elections in the north, a move deemed by many as a ploy by Turkey to get candidate Ersin Tatar elected as the new Turkish Cypriot leader.

After Tatar won the elections, both he and Turkey have been announcing that further areas would gradually open, while refugees were invited to return under Turkish Cypriot administration.

The government has condemned the move as an illegal act and a flagrant violation of international law and of UN Security Council resolutions 550 and 789.