60,000 Turkish Cypriots have Cypriot identity documents

About 60,000 Turkish Cypriots have acquired ID cards, passports and other certificates, Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said at a panel discussion on the EU constitution organised by the Economist magazine on Thursday, while the money flowing to Turkish Cypriots has amounted to CYP 150 mln, he said.

Free medical care has been provided to 24,420 Turkish Cypriots and several thousand Turkish Cypriots are officially employed in the free areas, while social insurance continues to be paid.

Almost two and a half million GCs have visited the non-government controlled area, spending money there, while ID cards and other certificates have entitled Turkish Cypriots to benefit as EU citizens from reduced fees at EU universities.

Tuition fees for a number of Turkish Cypriot school children are paid by the Government.

“Thus we arrive at the big amount of over 150 million Cyprus Pounds that have flown from Greek Cypriots to Turkish Cypriots during the last two years, not counting the free electricity that was provided for long years, which would double this amount,” said Chrysostomides.

“These are, we believe, acts in the true European spirit aiming at common prosperity for all Cypriots in the framework of the Union.”

However, he said that this is “not enough”for Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership.

“They continue seeking political advantages which will accentuate the division and the dangers of dismemberment of our country. Yesterday’s statements by the chief of the Turkish General Staff, that in fact the Turkish army will never withdraw from Cyprus, is not reflecting the European spirit,” he said.