Özersay: "Radical Measures Needed for Border Security"

In his statement, Özersay reminded the government of incidents where individuals, armed with weapons, had been caught attempting to carry out an assassination on a local businessman. He also referenced previous assassination attempts carried out by individuals entering the country through border gates.

He stressed that the country’s border control has become severely compromised, with the safety of the public facing serious threats. "Our borders have become a sieve, and the country’s security issues are deepening. We cannot continue like this!" Özersay stated.

He criticized the government for focusing on thorough checks of citizens returning from shopping trips in Southern Cyprus, which has led to long queues and delays at border crossings. Özersay expressed that while there are significant security threats and the ease of illicit money entering the country, it is unacceptable to target ordinary citizens for such scrutiny.

"The government should be focusing on taking serious steps against issues like money laundering and illegal activities in our ports. Instead, they are delaying border crossings, harassing citizens who went shopping in the South. This is unacceptable," Özersay added.

He concluded by demanding radical actions to prevent the flow of illicit money through the country’s borders and questioned whether the government’s actions against such threats were genuine, or merely performative.