#Mağusa

Cypriots want the closed parts of Varosha to be opened

Varosha or Varosha, the region located in the city of Famagusta. It was the most famous part of Cyprus. Abandoned by its Greek Cypriot population during the 1974 Cyprus Operation, the region remained under military control after the operation, and most of it was closed to settlement and settlement. The Maraş region was administered by the Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces Command, which was directly part of the Turkish Armed Forces, between 1974 and 1990, and was officially declared a first-degree military forbidden zone in 1981. On July 29, 1990, the control of the region was handed over to the TRNC Security Forces Command. A part of the public Democracy Street and the beach part of Maraş, which is within the borders of the TRNC, was opened on 8 October 2020. With the decision of the Council of Ministers, on 12 July 2021, one more region was demilitarized within the scope of the second phase of the Maraş opening, and thus 3.5 percent of Maraş was civilianized. Part of it should be opened and brought into tourism. Cypriot citizens; They stated that opening the closed parts of Maraş, which is still closed, would be a big step for Famagusta in particular and for the whole TRNC in general. They describe keeping the tourism-rich region closed for years as a 'waste of time' and want it to be opened as soon as possible, albeit piecemeal, with the support of Turkey. Citizens, who stated that the full opening of Maraş would contribute greatly to both Famagusta tradesmen and the country's economy, demanded that the properties in Maraş be properly built and opened for development without the owners being victimized. "Maraş should not be on the agenda" Citizens: "Why should a tourism-rich place stay closed? We are two separate states, we are not occupiers. Whether they accept it or not. Foreigners and Greeks can apply to the relevant places and take their properties. With the support of Turkey, the properties in the TRNC State can be dissolved. Property in Maraş "And foreign owners of hotels can live or run hotels here under our government. If the owners don't want to fix it, the state can," they said. Celebrities have houses in Maraş It was known that famous names such as Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Brigitte Bardot were among the regulars of the region. Famous Italian actress Sophia Loren also had a house in Maraş. Considered the world's first 7-star hotel, Golden Sands Hotel was built here by the British Royal family. Maraş was known as the Las Vegas of the Mediterranean. Source: Kıbrıs Gazetesi