Erdogan urges Turkish-Cypriots to ‘Increase their population’

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan who met with the TRNC Prime minister, Τufan Erhurman and the minister for Foreign Affairs, Kudret Ozersay.

Erdogan last week, appears to have suggested the increase of the Turkish-Cypriot population so that it would level the number of the Greek-Cypriots.

According to Turkish daily, Aksam newspaper, Erdogan recommended they go after further financial development, something that could be reached through population increase.

It was reported that Erdogan told the two politicians that “leveling the ‘achievements’ of Cyprus will benefit the Turkish-Cypriots. 

Referring to those Turkish-Cypriots living abroad, Erdogan said that “they could either invest in the country or move to the country”, noting that Turkey supports this, but “the population needs to become greater”.

Regarding natural gas searches in connection with the Turkish-Cypriots, Erdogan stressed that “their rights will be protected until the end. 

The Greek-Cypriots should ‘play the game’ with the Turkish-Cypriots. Nothing other than this will be accepted.”