Dullest Bayram holiday ever? Turkish Cypriots still feeling the effect of the devalued Turkish lira

The 9-day holiday in North Cyprus has come and gone as everything including businesses and services returns to normal. And if I may ask how did you spend your holiday? especially at a time time when the economy is biting so hard due to the depreciation of the Turkish Lira.. Guess no Turkish Cypriot will have something good to say because as far as my observation is concerned, it was a dull holiday!

Many Turkish Cypriots spent their ‘Feast of Sacrifice’ holidays in their numbers back home in north Cyprus as the downfall of the Turkish lira has made travels abroad a luxury compared to previous years.

According to Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis, long lines were evident at the Ayios Dhometios crossing between north and south Cyprus in Lefkosa as many Turkish Cypriots chose to spend their time in the south during the holidays of Kurban Bayramı.

In the week before the holidays, heavy traffic was observed at the border crossing, the paper said, while there has also been an increase in the crossings of Greek Cypriots to the north.

The devaluation of the Turkish currency has had a negative impact also on travel agents that said that demand for travelling abroad has decreased. The Bayram holiday, travel agents said, was the period during which they were selling the most packages for trips abroad in the past.

According to reports earlier in the week, it has become almost impossible for middle class Turkish Cypriots to travel abroad during the holiday because of the successive price increases.

To avert profiteering, authorities in north Cyprus said they would be strict with businesses found overcharging for products. 

To this effect, a number of price and quality control officers were appointed by authorities to carry out checks in the market.

‘Prime minister’, Tufan Erhurman, said after visiting three markets that he had found price differences on goods.

In a post on his social media account, Erhurman said that opportunism during such periods should not be overlooked.

‘Deputy prime minister’, Kudret Ozersay, also warned that those found taking advantage of the increase in the foreign exchange by overcharging for products, would be slapped with fines but also faced temporary closure of their businesses, even imprisonment.

During the holidays, many business places were closed and those who managed to open spent most of the time idle and watching TV or reading news papers. 

Even the butchers complained of the low turn out as people couldn't afford to buy meats for celebration.

Though the government said it has given directions that prices of goods and commodities be reduced according to new regulations and measures issued by the government, but I must tell you that the effect of these directives has not been felt as the prices of goods are still on the high side.

Now that the holidays are over.... what happens next????

By Olomo Info

Some information sourced from Cyprus Mail, Havadis.