In anticipation of the July 4 general elections in the UK, Conservative Party MP Iain Duncan Smith has reiterated his call for the establishment of direct flights from the UK to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Conservative Party candidate for Chingford and Woodford Green Iain Duncan Smith stated in a statatment: “The current status quo in Cyprus causes serious difficulties for Turkish Cypriots, many of whom are my constituents here in Chingford and Woodford Green. In accordance with the rest of the international community, with the sole exception of Turkey, the UK does not recognise the self-declared ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ as an independent state. As a result, Northern Cyprus faces international isolation, including restrictions on direct flights from other countries.
“That is why, I have been campaigning for direct flights to Northern Cyprus for some time now. Ercan Airport (LCEN) currently serves as the primary hub for Northern Cyprus. Whilst the South benefits from direct flights, the North can only offer flights with one to two stops, forcing travellers to make inconvenient stopovers. My call for direct flights is in support of my constituents of Turkish-Cypriot descent who need to regularly visit their properties and support elderly relatives in Northern Cyprus…
“It is high time that we see an end to such an unfair and restrictive travel ban. If elected once again as the Member of Parliament for Chingford and Woodford Green, I will continue to call on the Government to allow direct flights between the United Kingdom and the North of Cyprus and ensure that they engage directly with the TRNC to prevent further Turkish Cypriot isolation from the international community.”
