Turkish Cypriot ‘cabinet’ ends aid ‘tax’

The Turkish Cypriot ‘cabinet’ in the north on Tuesday officially decided that a ‘customs duty’ on humanitarian aid sent by the government to Greek Cypriots and Maronites living in the north should not be imposed.

The move came about three weeks after ‘foreign minister’ Kudret Ozersay had announced a new more reasonable policy would be introduced.

On October 1 last year, the Turkish Cypriot side imposed a levy on food aid sent by the government to the few hundred Greek Cypriot and Maronite Cypriots living in the north, arguing that the enclaved have freedom of movement so such aid was no longer needed.

Medical aid was allowed through without taxes.

Around 340 people are believed to be recipients of the food and medical aid.

The Cyprus News Agency reported Ozersay as saying a new policy would be put in place though details have not emerged.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.