Angolemli says that Turkey’s policy is to increase the population in the occupied area of Cyprus; Reactions on the white “identity card” issueTurkish Cypriot daily Kibris (10.08.11) reports that Turkay Tokel, former self-styled minister of labour and social insurance, has said that in a research they conducted when he was in “office” they established that in one of the big hotels in the occupied area of Cyprus, only 12 out of its 400 employees were “citizens” of the breakaway regime.

In statements yesterday on a program of Kibris TV, Tokel said that this mentality could not continue and added that they had invited the officials of that hotel and demanded from them to make a step on the issue of employing local staff. He noted that the participants in the meeting complained that the Cypriots want to work less and receive higher salaries.

“While we have more than 10 thousand unemployed young people in our country, we cannot accept such situation”, he said and noted that 42 thousand foreigners are employed with “work permit” in the occupied area of Cyprus.

Tokel noted that according to the migration records, the number of the unregistered workers was around 35 thousands 2.5 years ago. Tokel argued that amnesty should be given for the last time, but this time they should be serious on this issue.

“If you want the number of the illegal and the unregistered persons as well the number of tourists, this could be established”, he added noting that things could not be improved only by changing “rules and regulations” every day.

Tokel pointed out to the importance of holding a population census in the occupied part of Cyprus in 2011.

In statements at the same program, Ertugrul Hasipoglu, general secretary of the National Unity Party (UBP), said that robberies constitute a big problem for the occupied area of Cyprus and added that a house in his own neighbourhood was robbed recently. Referring the issue of white and green “identity card”, he noted that amnesty to illegal workers was given in the past by the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) as well. “We should not be contented with the amnesty. First of all, holding a population census is a must”, he argued noting that this census will be held in the end of 2011 or in the beginning of 2012. Hasipoglu said that in case those who illegally live in the occupied area of Cyprus are not sent away after the population census, this census will be meaningless.

In statements at the same program, Huseyin Angolemli, “deputy” with the Social Democracy Party (TDP), said that the doors of the occupied area of Cyprus are wide open because of the right [of the persons from Turkey] to enter by showing only their identity card. He noted that when they conveyed the issue to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan during his recent illegal visit to Cyprus, he told them that “the transfer of population from Turkey to the TRNC should continue”. Angolemli said that Turkey’s policy is to increase the population in the occupied area of Cyprus.