Long queues at Metehan due to Black Friday

On the last Friday of November, on Black Friday, residents of Northern Cyprus once again filled the Metehan checkpoint: dozens of cars lined up in long queues to cross to the south of the island for discounts.

Some people were heading to work, while others went specifically to shop in the stores of Southern Cyprus, where large sales of clothing, electronics and household goods are traditionally prepared for Black Friday. Many drivers said they waited in line for 20–30 minutes or longer, noting that such traffic jams have already become a common occurrence rather than an isolated situation.

Residents once again raised the need to:

• open an additional crossing point,
• or expand the existing Metehan checkpoint
  to ease traffic and facilitate daily commuting.

At the same time, it was noted that on the day of the sale, both sides of the checkpoint reinforced their shifts and increased staff numbers, which helped manage the flow of cars more efficiently and partially reduce waiting times.