Last year saw an increase in Green Line crossings by Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, non-Cypriot European Union citizens, and third country nationals, the European Commission said on Tuesday in its annual report on the implementation of the Green Line regulation.

The report was one of two released by the body on Cyprus on Tuesday, with the other concerning the EU’s aid programme for the Turkish Cypriot community.

It cited figures from Cyprus police, which stated that 1,453,135 crossings by Greek Cypriots and 833,786 by Greek Cypriot vehicles took place throughout the course of last year, up from 1,346,121 Greek Cypriot people and 822,443 vehicles in 2024.

Likewise, it stated that 1,983,610 crossings by Turkish Cypriot people and 748,061 crossings by Turkish Cypriot vehicles took place, up from 1,814,617 people and 705,532 vehicles the year before.

The number of non-Cypriot EU citizens and third country nationals crossing between the island’s two sides was reported as 2,053,958 last year, up from 1,777,946 in 2024.

In addition, the report pointed out that the Republic’s figures did not include data on people crossing southwards from the Pergamos and Strovilia crossing points, as at both crossing points, the north borders the British Dhekelia base.

As such, it cited the bases’ figures, which stated that at those crossing points, the number of crossings made by Greek Cypriots decreased last year compared to the year before, while the number of crossings made by Turkish Cypriots, non-Cypriot EU citizens, and third country nationals increased.

It also pointed out that the Turkish Cypriot police’s official figures indicated a decrease in the number of crossings made by Greek Cypriot vehicles last year compared to the year before, but maintained in its conclusions that overall, the number of crossings made by Greek Cypriots and others increased.

“It was reported that high prices and inflation in the Turkish Cypriot community discouraged Greek Cypriots from crossing the Green Line for personal shopping and encouraged Turkish Cypriots to cross the Line in the other direction,” the Commission said.

“Long queues continued to be reported at the Ayios Dhometios crossing point. The Republic of Cyprus authorities noted that additional human resources had been deployed to facilitate crossings,” it said.

To this end, it said that in December last year, “works funded under the aid programme for the Turkish Cypriot community began to increase the number of lanes at this crossing point”. These works were completed in January.

On the issue of irregular crossings, it said that the number had fallen from 3,319 in 2024 to 2,433 last year, with last year the third year in a row that the number had decreased from an all-time high of 16,627 in 2022.

It pointed out that the Turkish Cypriot community “noted that efforts had continued in the northern part of Cyprus to prevent irregular migration”, with a total of 5,230 people being refused entry to the north and 1,754 people deported last year.