Filenews 17 November 2021 - by Eleftheria Paizanos
Bate dogs grind at the barricades, MPs and representatives of institutions complain, with the transport of fuel of dubious quality from the occupied territories being carried out systematically. Professional bodies complained to the House Standing Committee on Trade, which examined yesterday the problems caused by the passage of products into the Republic of Cyprus from the occupied territories, that, due to the increase in the price of fuel, tankers travel daily to the occupied areas and transport fuel to the free areas. In fact, according to information, the profit resulting from the transportation of fuel from each tanker is close to €500. Therefore, according to the complaints, some in the Republic may, daily, have a profit of €3 to €4,000.
On behalf of the association of service station owners, Christodoulos Christodoulou said that there is smuggling with fuel, adding that there are companies that have 6 to 8 tankers that go daily to the occupied territories, transporting 3,000 litres per day. According to Mr. Christodoulou, Limassol and Paphos were filled with fuel from the occupied territories. At the same time, he noted that, last year, accidentally the bases spotted a tanker carrying 10,000 litres from the occupied areas, pointing out that both taxi drivers and citizens go to the occupied areas and refuel their vehicles with fuel.
In fact, he argued that some professional sectors that procure fuel from the non-controlled areas of the Republic, earn offers from the state, resulting in their cost being lower and there is unfair competition. The Customs Department, in cooperation with the police authorities, have stepped up checks on the barricades. Mainly, vehicles used for business purposes are checked and extrajudicial fines are imposed on those who are illegal.
Monkey products
The debate focused not only on fuel but also on the transport of other products from Turkey to the occupied territories, which are christened Cypriot and transported to the free areas at lower prices, which also causes unfair competition. Those affected are calling on the government to strengthen controls.
A representative of the Famagusta Tourism Commercial Company said that we are developing into an economy in the occupied territories. As he said, we are at zero hour and measures should be taken, as competition from the occupied territories is unfair. On behalf of OEB and KEBE it was mentioned that there is no equal treatment of entrepreneurs, as if a contractor buys building materials from the Republic he will pay 19% VAT, while if he obtains them from the occupied territories he is not charged with VAT. They also argued that a mechanism should be put in place to check products, whether they meet European standards.
POVEK SG Stefanos Koursaris noted that all professions face problems from monkey products transported from the occupied territories, adding that the regulation of the green line is violated.
On the part of the agricultural organizations, it was mentioned that agricultural products from the occupied territories are not adequately controlled and pesticides are also smuggled. The need to include safeguards to check farmers' tariffs and to determine whether pesticides are supplied from the occupied territories was also stressed by the Plant Protection Association.
