North Cyprus tourist bus attacked in south Cyprus, TRNC government reacts

A tourist bus from north Cyprus was reportedly harassed and attacked at the Larnaca airport in south Cyprus on Friday, July, 5, preventing it from completing its journey to the  north safely.

According to report by the Turkish Cypriot ‘deputy prime ministry and foreign ministry, the bus was harassed when it went to Larnaca to pick up a group of Hungarian tourists.

The ‘ministry’ said that the bus was blocked when it stopped to pick up the tourists, when vehicles parked directly behind it. It added that a plastic water pottle was thrown at the bus, and that one of the rear-view mirrors was bent.

The ‘ministry’ said that the security guards at the airport stood by and did nothing, and that the bus driver did not complain so as to not escalate the situation.

The bus was reportedly followed and tailgated on the highway, forcing the driver to change routes and cross from a closer checkpoint, the ‘ministry’ added.

In reaction to the attack, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Mustafa Akinci on Wednesday called on the Greek Cypriot side to take action over the attack.

Akinci who met with the UN Special Representative and Unficyp head Elizabeth Spehar at the presidential palace in Lefkosa on Wednesday raised the issue of the bus with her and that he asked her to tell Greek Cypriot president, Nicos Anastasiades and the Greek Cypriot authorities to take the proper measures in light of the incident.

Akinci said that the bus in question has all the proper paperwork required to drive in the state-controlled areas since 2008.

This surely cannot be accepted. Everyone needs to be careful, he said.

North Cyprus tourist bus attacked in south Cyprus, TRNC government reacts