Cyprus-Forum.com

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Experts from the AKP are said to believe that cheaper workforce and a population of at least one million is needed for a self-sufficient economy in the occupied areas of Cyprus

Under the title “What is the target of the AKP?” Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli newspaper (18.08.09) reports that debates have started on the target of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government which “imposes the same economic package” to all the “TRNC governments” having the approach of “cover your own current expenditure.” The paper accuses the Erdogan government of dragging the economy of the breakaway regime into crisis with “the so-called economic measures it imposed,” by “closing the taps” and accusing the Turkish Cypriots of receiving high salaries and living in luxury. The paper reports, inter alia, the following:

“First the crisis swept away the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) government and now it is leading the National Unity Party (UBP) into an impasse from which it cannot come out. ...

It is said that the AKP government, which is consciously dragging the country into an economic and political crisis, is attempting to materialize a new exchange of population and migratory policy. The experts of the AKP, who support that cheaper workforce and a population of at least one million is needed for a self-sufficient economy, believe that they will be able to achieve this target with the so-called economic measures which have been imposed.

Political observers are noting that this policy, which ignores the national cause, will force the Turkish Cypriots to migrate and the places, which will be vacated, will be filled up with cheap workforce which will be brought from Turkey.

It is certain that the struggle between the Eroglu government, which is forced to operate under the pressure of the Erdogan government, and the trade unions which escalated the struggle against these anti-populist actions, will cause very big social explosions.

The question which should be answered is the following: Is the Erdogan government preparing the people for a referendum with these economic measures or for the period after the referendum? Or are all these a massive manipulation move in order to threaten the Greek Cypriot sector by using the Turkish people as subject of the experiment?”
(I/Ts.)