Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu has stated that if the Greek Cypriots and Maronites living in the TRNC need anything, the TRNC Ministry of Labour and Social Security will intervene to address their concerns.
Stating that there is no present need for UN convoys to bring goods to Greek Cypriots and Maronites in the TRNC, Minister Ertuğruloğlu said that actions like these encourage the unwarranted Greek Cypriot “occupation” narrative.
In his press conference, Ertuğruloğlu clarified the issue of taxes effective since 1 October 2017 which have been imposed on goods sent to Greek Cypriots and Maronites in the TRNC via UN convoy.
Minister Ertuğruloğlu said that after the process collapsed in Crans-Montana, the TRNC conveyed its decision to the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Cyprus, Elizabeth Spehar at a meeting held on 28 July at the Foreign Ministry.
Ertuğruloğlu stated that he met with UN officials again on 23 August and the same issue was raised, with the TRNC postponing the implementation of the decision from 1 September to 1 October as a gesture of goodwill.
Ertuğruloğlu added that a note was also sent to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus on 26 September to provide formal notification of this decision.