Demands from students in difficult situation made us work on amnnesty bill: TRNC Minister of Internal Affairs

The TRNC Minister of Internal Affairs Dursun Oğuz on Monday said the government is currently working on the proposed Foreigners and Immigration bill (Amnesty) due to the demands they received from students who were in a difficult situation.

Oğuz made the statement during a speech about the Foreigners and Immigration Amendment Bill in parliament on Monday June 10.

According to the minister, "We worked on the law because we received demands from students who were in a difficult situation."

The government then moved the motion for a vote to urgently discuss the Foreigners and Immigration Amendment Bill in the committee. (*** This means that the amnesty bill is set to be discussed by parliamentary committee on immigration before submitting it to the parliament for discussion and approval)

Oğuz said that they carried out a study on labor amnesty before the immigration amnesty, and added that they carried out this law study after receiving demands from broken families and students in difficult situations.

Oğuz stated that, those who are abroad under immigration penalty can only find an employer; they have prepared a study so that families can benefit from the amnesty by presenting an active student certificate, provided that their families have ties in TRNC.

Responding to the the bill by Oğuz, opposition party CTP Deputy Erkut Şahali, stated that he requested the explanation from Dursun Oğuz on the bill but there was no response to the intensification of the inspection activity expressed in the general justification.

Stating that the immigration amnesty, in which everyone in the country, including tourists, will be forgiven unconditionally, cannot be placed under the justification of reunifying families, Şahali stated that there are countless examples without family ties. Şahali noted that it is necessary to look at the reasons for becoming illegal in the country.

"If this is a scope that even disturbs the business world, we need to stop and think again," said Şahali, adding that it is not acceptable to pardon everyone, including illegal tourists, and aim for them to become a part of the labor market. Şahali requested that the request be withdrawn.

Şahali said that an evaluation should be made, taking into account the needs of the Turkish Cypriot people, and stated that there is no connection between this and the idea of ​​family reunification.

Stating that this amnesty is negative in terms of the labor market and the establishment of peace, Şahali noted that their vote for the urgent request was rejected and called for the bill to be urgently withdraw.

The motion was then accepted by majority vote.