The “authorities” of the quasi-state in the occupied territories of Cyprus legalized 6,165 illegal migrants as part of a migration amnesty that lasted almost two months. This was stated by the head of the “Ministry of Internal Affairs” of the “TRNC” Dursun Oguz.
The basis is a humane approach
The amnesty went into effect on August 5. Since then, 7,659 people have applied for legalization. “Not all applications were approved. We have put forward certain conditions for amnesty. This step was based, first of all, on a humane approach,” said the Turkish Cypriot official.
The conditions were that migrants without TRNC documents, including those who were fined for illegal residence after January 1, 2021, could register and obtain a work permit. They were also required to pay a fine of 33,926 Turkish lira (approximately 890 euros) within ten days of registration.
Ogüz said: he would like all illegal immigrants in the “TRNC” to be able to take advantage of the amnesty. “The decision taken has a certain basis, it is conscious and humane. The state must solve problems and must be fair in solving these problems,” he said.
The main goal was safety
In early August, when the amnesty started, the head of the Turkish Cypriot “Ministry of Internal Affairs” said that it would make the “country” safer. “People who find themselves abroad, but have knowledge in certain professions, will also be able to register and return to the country (that is, to the occupied territories - VK note). Families associated with the TRNC will be able to reunite as part of the amnesty,” said Dursun Oguz. He added that this is a step towards increasing legality, since illegal workers will be able to obtain documents and work legally.
The action is a response to personnel shortages
The amnesty was announced after employers in the occupied territories expressed concerns about labor shortages. Ogüz emphasized that the amnesty will allow companies to hire people who already live in the TRNC, instead of looking for workers abroad and increasing the number of illegal migrants even more.
The text was prepared based on materials from the Cyprus Mail publication
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