Turkish Cypriots may switch sides...of the road that is

TURKEY IS looking into ending the practice of Turkish Cypriots driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road by flipping the direction of driving to the right hand side in the north, according to one Turkish Cypriot unionist. 

General Secretary of the Turkish Cypriot primary school teachers union (KTOS) Sener Elcil was quoted saying as much in yesterday’s Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika. 

In a written statement, Elcil accused Turkey of operating within the framework of integrating and assimilating the occupied areas by formulating the “Traffic Action Plan”. 

The aim of the plan is reportedly to switch the flow of traffic from driving on the left, as happens in the government-controlled areas- a habit picked up under British colonial rule- to the right side of the road as it is in Turkey. 

According to Elcil, the traffic issue was discussed in a meeting on April 17 in which the Turkish government’s representative in the north, referred to as the Turkish ambassador, was also present. 

The outspoken unionist said the traffic action plan boiled down to another effort on the part of Turkey to implement its assimilation and separatist policies in the north, by using the traffic issue as an excuse. 

Elcil questioned in which other independent country in the world would an ambassador interfere in matters relating to traffic.

He called on the Turkish Cypriot leadership to inform the public on what is really going on.