Sunday, May 31/2020

Speculation - and talks - continue on reopening the Cyprus border between North and South. It has now been over six weeks since there was a new case of covid-19 in the North. The North, understandably, considers itself more at risk from the South than vice versa. It has been suggested that the border might be open when the South has gone two weeks with no new cases. However this keeps not quite happening, and there was another new case today, this time of a high school student. The South does have statistics that many places might envy, but many Turkish Cypriot and expats living here feel that they have made sacrifices during a very strict lockdown to achieve a degree of safety that could easily be lost if others are allowed in. On the other hand, the economies of both sides are dependent on borders that are not sealed, and particularly on tourism. It’s the problem the whole world faces but in microcosm. And, as with the rest of the world, there is no totally satisfactory solution.