Stefanos Kursaris, Secretary General of the “Cyprus Tradesmen and Craftsmen Organization” (POVEK) in the south, stated that the discounts that started in the stores in the Republic of Cyprus increased the movement in the market, but the problems related to the increases in raw materials, rent and electricity prices did not end. Kursaris said that “the situation regarding purchases from the north has reached alarming proportions”.
According to the news of the Alithia newspaper titled “Occupation Zones, Electricity, Rents Hit the Stores”, Kursaris drew attention to two positive situations by referring to the activity in the stores in the south this period.
Stating that the first of these was the removal of some strict measures regarding the coronavirus pandemic and as a result, people started to go out, Kursaris stated that the second factor was that the tourist arrivals in the first 8 months of 2022 reached 80 percent of the total arrivals in 2019.
On the other hand, expressing that there are negative effects such as the ongoing increase wave and electricity bills, Kursaris stated that the government’s statement on subsidizing the increase turned out to be insufficient because it covers a very small consumer group.
Kursaris also noted that the high prices in electricity bills affect consumption, the psychology of consumers, as well as businesses.
“Shopping from the north has reached alarming proportions”
Expressing that there is a relative decrease in fuel prices beyond the increases, but increases in transportation prices and raw material prices continue, Kursaris noted that the situation regarding shopping from the north has reached alarming levels.
Kursaris asserted that “The Green Line Regulation’s article on shopping from the TRNC for 260 Euros a day, as well as the high cost in the south, and the lack of controls at border gates and crossing points push consumers to Northern Cyprus”.
Kursaris stated that Greek Cypriot consumers buy fuel from the TRNC, make reservations at TRNC hotels, and also use the hairdresser and dentistry services in the north.
Expressing concern about the increase in rents, Kursaris said that although the supply is large, in other words, there are many empty shops, the rents are on the rise in an alarming way.
Noting that almost 700 thousand Russian and Ukrainian tourists were lost especially in Paphos and in the south of Famagusta, Kursaris added that as a result, there are problems in these regions.
The news about the transitions is in the southern press
On the other hand, the news in the Turkish Cypriot press about the border crossings was also reported in the newspapers in the south today.
Fileleftheros reported on the news “More than One and a Half Million Crossings from the Greek Cypriots to the Occupied Zones in 2022”, Haravgi “More than One and a Half Million Crossings from the Border Gates by the Greek Cypriots”, and Politis as “Greek Cypriots Occupied the Border Gates- The Image of the Border Gates Changed Totally from 2006” For the First Time Since, Greek Cypriots Are More Than Turkish Cypriots”.