Üstel Rules Out June Election, Says Timing May Shift

Speaking on BRT’s Gündem Artı programme, Üstel said election dates could be arranged by taking into account developments in the Middle East as well as the December municipal elections.

“There is no election in June,” he said, adding that the public would be informed once the final date is determined.

Housing and Social Housing Projects

Üstel said home ownership has become increasingly difficult due to rising demand and housing prices, stressing that the government aims to help young people remain in the country.

He said the government had worked with contractors to develop a low-interest, long-term Turkish lira loan model, with the state covering the interest difference. According to Üstel, thousands of young people have become homeowners through this system.

He also said the government had revived a social housing initiative not implemented since the era of former president and former prime minister Derviş Eroğlu.

The foundations of the projects were laid in Alayköy, he said, with expansion planned from Karpaz to Kyrenia.

No Political Bias in Land Distribution

Addressing criticism over rural land allocations, Üstel said no political discrimination had taken place.

“We did not look at party badges when distributing land,” he said, adding that social housing lotteries were held publicly in the presence of certification officers and citizens.

He said young people living in rural areas were being given land and would also benefit from low-interest loans.

Support for Women and Youth Employment

Üstel said the government had introduced social insurance premium and interest support programmes to encourage women’s participation in the workforce.

He stated that women receive 80 per cent of premium support, while young people receive 50 per cent.

‘We Have No Door to Knock On Other Than Turkey’

On relations with Turkey, Üstel said high-level ties continue through financial cooperation protocols and infrastructure investment.

He said resources were being provided for hospitals, schools and other public projects, adding that despite global economic turbulence, the country’s living standards were being maintained through support mechanisms.

Referring to international isolation, Üstel argued that the Greek Cypriot side had sought to prevent the TRNC economy from developing and said Turkey remained the only reliable partner.

“Other than Turkey, we have no door to knock on,” he said.

Economic Support and Minimum Wage

Üstel said the government provides around 250 million Turkish lira in monthly social support and had absorbed fuel price increases by reducing taxes to zero.

He also said the minimum wage had risen from TL7,000 in 2022 to TL60,000 in 2026, increasing from around €550 to approximately €1,300 in euro terms.

He noted that work on cost-of-living allowance regulations was continuing through a dedicated committee.

Antalya Diplomacy Forum Contacts

Commenting on the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Üstel said he held meetings with representatives from many countries and stressed the importance of international visibility for the TRNC.

He said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continued to call for the lifting of isolations and to advocate a two-state solution on international platforms, adding that the strongest support on this issue came from Azerbaijan.

Üstel also called on the European Union to adopt a neutral stance and support the removal of isolations on the Turkish Cypriot people.