Thousands of people cross the checkpoints to the occupied north every day, prompted by the cost-of-living crisis and the devaluation of the Turkish lira.
According to the Turkish Cypriots newspaper Halkin Sesi, the number of people crossing into the occupied areas was 40.3% higher in the first two months of 2023 compared to the same period last year.
Specifically, the total number of people crossing into the occupied areas increased from 492,639 to 691,649, as many choose to buy cheaper fuel from the north.
Some 11,722 Greek Cypriots and third-country nationals cross the checkpoints every day, Halkin Sesi writes.
After Greek Cypriots, 40,000 people with Greek passports crossed to the north in the first two months of 2023, followed by 27,000 British citizens, 25,636 Romanian citizens, 14,301 Polish nationals, 11,368 Germans, 11,000 Russians and 7,107 Israelis.