The government of Cyprus has quickly stopped a new rule at the border checkpoints on the island. For a short time, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots had to wait in different lines. A member of parliament strongly criticised this system. She said it was unfair and against the law, and it made tensions between the two communities worse.
The checkpoints control movement between the south of the island, which is the Republic of Cyprus, and the north, which is administered by Turkish Cypriots. The area between them is called the Green Line. Officials said the separate queues were to help them check people's identities more easily. They said they only wanted to confirm if a person was from Cyprus.
However, many people were unhappy with the change. Critics said it was a clear visual sign of the island's division. They argued it treated people differently because of their background. Turkish Cypriots felt it was not a neutral process and it caused delays.
MP Alexandra Attalidou brought the problem to parliament. She said the separate queues might break important EU and Cypriot laws about equality and no discrimination. After her questions, the Justice Minister said the policy had already ended. He explained the lanes were only used for a short time for identification, not to discriminate.
This event shows how sensitive everyday life is in divided Cyprus. Even a simple administrative decision can have big political meaning. While stopping the separate queues solves one problem, the larger division of the island continues.