Cypriot government to remove barbed wire fence along Green Line
The Cypriot government plans to remove the 14-kilometer-long barbed wire fence along the Green Line, it was reported by Deutsche Welle on Friday.
The fence was installed in 2021 to curb migratory flows from the Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus. Although no official announcement has been made, Deutsche Welle reported that the Cypriot government is under pressure by UN’s Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
As a result is has decided to soften its immigration policy and not only halt the expansion of the barbed wire fence, but remove it all together.
Guterres’ annual report on the Cuprus issue, which was released a few days ago, states that the “unauthorized 14-kilometer-long barbed wire fence” has not been removed yet despite UN’s protests.
The fence has also faced criticism from within the Cypriot government. Last summer, Cypriot Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou described it as “inadequate and politically damaging for Cyprus.”
