Illegal residency soars in occupied Cyprus

The number of illegal residents in occupied Cyprus has surged to 83,000, marking a significant increase in undocumented individuals, according to data released by the "Ministry of Interior" and reported by Yeni Duzen newspaper.

The figures indicate that nearly 40% of these illegal residents are employed in the construction and industrial sectors. Additionally, the number of individuals classified as 'students' who did not adhere to the required procedures stands at 48,517.

Among those residing with a residence permit but failing to follow protocol, 33,789 individuals were identified. Meanwhile, 300 people currently find themselves incarcerated due to their illegal status.

Over the past 18 months, authorities have deported approximately 1,700 individuals, with 617 of them categorized as illegal residents. This deportation effort has incurred a cost of 36 million Turkish pounds.

Yeni Duzen also highlighted that during the 2023-2024 period, there were 120 individuals under deportation orders who remained in the country despite efforts to remove them.

The escalating number of illegal residents poses a complex challenge for the occupied areas, prompting increased scrutiny and administrative measures by authorities to manage the situation.

[With information from CNA]