TRNC Chamber of Commerce opposes amnesty for illegal residents, call on government to withdraw the bill

The Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (KTTO) Assembly on Thursday announced that it completely oppose the bill prepared by the government, which provides for a comprehensive immigration amnesty for illegal residents.

According to the statement made by KTTO, the members who expressed their opinions on the issue in the KTTO Assembly held on Wednesday, June 5 stated that "amnesty does not improve any practices, on the contrary, they encourage non-compliance with the rules by increasing the expectations of amnesty" pointing out the importance of its implementation. 

KTTO Assembly members argued that the tolerance shown to people who came from abroad and violated the TRNC laws "turned the TRNC into a paradise of crime" and that public order problems had become a threat to the economic life as well as the lives of the people, and that the concept of pardoning illegal employees every few years was important for maintaining public order. 

They also emphasized that it constituted a serious weakness.

It was noted that KTTO Assembly members unanimously decided that the Board of Directors of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce should take the necessary initiatives before the government in order to withdraw the amnesty bill.