Speaking to Serhat İncirli on Kanal Sim, Erhürman commented on issues related to property and electricity.
Erhürman highlighted that for the past three years, CTP has been stressing the need to regulate the sale of property to foreigners. He mentioned that prices have soared and Turkish Cypriots can no longer afford to buy homes. He questioned whether the infrastructure is adequate and if young people can buy homes, pointing out that these issues seem to be ignored. He also noted that this issue was first raised in the UK Guardian newspaper and that warnings have started coming from outside, adding, “This situation will create problems both inside and outside because we’ve seen this before. The same issues will happen again. We suggested making changes, but the proposed law created even bigger problems. Instead of solving the issues, the law created new ones”.
Erhürman stated that the legal system in the south does not align with that in the north and emphasised that the country is experiencing an unusual situation with serious consequences. He said that Greek Cypriot leaders are using this situation to their advantage and noted that they did not get the results they wanted in the past because the Turkish Cypriot side was on the right footing. He mentioned, “In 2004, we said yes and stood firm within the framework of UN Security Council resolutions. Presidents Talat, Akıncı, and Eroğlu came, but our stance didn’t change. Now, you’ve changed the ground. We’re outside the UN Security Council resolutions, and we’re still continuing with sales…”
Erhürman criticised the current government mentality, saying, “They ignore the law but expect a good attitude from the other side”. He also stated that CTP is a party seeking solutions and questioned if they are expecting good intentions from the Greek Cypriot leadership. He emphasised that the same approach will be taken in property and tourism issues. He warned that they might start withdrawing from tourism and have already made moves in higher education. He believes they will face problems because of their flawed policy strategy.
Erhürman said everyone involved in the process, including real estate agents, advertisers, architects, and contractors, is part of the issue. He accused them of trying to collapse the construction sector and mentioned that the Greek Cypriot Foreign Ministry has set up a desk to create concerns in the north. He asked, “What are you doing on this side? With this mentality, it’s impossible to find solutions to problems”.
Erhürman criticised the fact that people are living with the assumption that the current system will continue, stating that this system is unsustainable. He said, “We’re not on the right footing, we’re not engaging in dialogue or diplomacy. We’ve lost everything. We’re not in a position to explain ourselves to the world or adapt. Unfortunately, economic organisations haven’t shown any movement to recognise this situation”.
Teknecik Power Station
Erhürman concluded that people in the country are left without electricity, continue to suffer from pollution, and are paying high electricity prices. He criticised the current leadership for not knowing or making an effort to understand what they’re doing, continuing with ineffective management, and simply maintaining the status quo.