Proposed Expansion of the Buffer Zone to Include Varosha
In a recent television appearance on Kanal Sim, Serdar Denktash, the son of the late Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, proposed a visionary transformation for Varosha. He suggested that the area should evolve into a free trade zone and a common living area for both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. The idea centers around the expansion of the current buffer zone to encompass Varosha in its entirety.
Denktash emphasized the potential for Varosha to become a hub of economic activity and communal life. The goal is to rebuild the area into a space that promotes free trade and offers a shared living environment for the island’s divided communities. He believes that fostering cooperation and enabling joint economic ventures could lead to more stable and lasting solutions than those achieved through political recognition alone.
The lure of economic benefits within the buffer zone is seen as a key factor in increasing the appeal for both communities to engage with the area. Denktash envisions that by presenting these economic and social opportunities, people from both sides will be encouraged to establish businesses, form partnerships, and create a shared social space. This, he argues, will naturally lead to political progress.
When questioned about the potential acceptance of this proposal by the Greek Cypriot side, Denktash acknowledged that it remains their decision. However, he pointed out past successes, such as the unilateral opening of crossing points which led to positive outcomes and increased inter-community interaction. He highlighted that these initiatives were initially met with skepticism but eventually became widely accepted and facilitated smoother relations between the two sides.
Denktash concluded with a call for innovative and creative proposals that will inspire people from both communities to come together. The vision for a free trade zone and common living area in Varosha is part of a broader strategy to bridge divides and foster a more integrated future for Cyprus.
