cannedmoose wrote:I'm not a great expert of the residency and right of return issue, but I have a question for you guys who are. Are there any indications of how many GCs would actually want to return to the north if property restrictions were removed, let's say along the lines that Alexandros has suggested in the latest incarnation of his plan. If the boundary of the TCCS was drawn on a rough line from just north of Morfou across to Lefkosia, bisecting Mesaoria across to Famagusta (which would give the TCCS roughly 25% of the island), how many GCs would want to move north and live under the TCCS administration? Alex, did you get anything from your survey data that could measure this?
I would say that I agree with MicAtCyp's figures, about 15% of refugees with homes in the TCCS would elect to return. This is probably not more than 15,000 people. The figure I got in my survey was 30%, but that did not distinguish between people who would return under GC or under TC administration - so 15% for the TCCS case sounds realistic to me. In contrast, a great number of people would return to places like Varosha and Morfou, under GC administration, especially if economic opportunities for employment and business are available.
