Teachers in north Cyprus demand payment in euros, wants government to switch to another currency

Teachers in north Cyprus have demand payment in euros as the economy bites harder.

The head of the Turkish Cypriot secondary education teachers on Monday said that the government should use the euro instead of the Turkish lira as a way to protect people from the effects of the economic crisis in Turkey.

In the past couple of months, Turkish Cypriots have seen the standard of living plummet as the effects of the Turkish lira plunge spread to the country.

Ktoeos head Selma Eylem said during a news conference that her union will not be silent on the matter, asking the Turkish Cypriot administration to adopt the European currency.

Eylem said apart from the reduction in the people’s buying power, there were also price hikes imposed by the authorities. She added that the euro must be used for salaries and not the Turkish lira.

Eylem also said efforts must be made to restart reunification talks from where they ended in Crans-Montana last year.

Meanwhile, staff at the Turkish Cypriot assembly went on an indefinite strike on Monday to protest the crisis and the austerity measures.