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04 June 2003
Source: Cyprus Mail
Author: Alexia Saoulli
Benefits for Turkish Cypriots only if once they register for tax and social insurance
TURKISH
Cypriots are only allowed unemployment benefits if they fulfil certain
prerequisites, a Labour Ministry official said yesterday.
He was responding to an article in Sunday’s Politis by Turkish
Cypriot journalist Sener Levent, which asked: “If an unemployed Turkish
Cypriot goes to the Cyprus Republic’s Authorities presenting
verification documents that he is a resident of the Republic and demands
unemployment benefits, with what legal argument can his claim be
rejected? Who can tell this citizen: ‘You live in the occupied areas?’ -
and are therefore not allowed this benefit.”
Unemployment registrar official Emilios Christofi told the Cyprus
Mail that Turkish Cypriots were allowed the same benefits as Greek
Cypriots as long as they met specific criteria enabling them to claim
unemployment benefits. “This is no different to what applies to Greek
Cypriots,” he said.
“They have to have worked for more than six months or, if they’re
claiming the benefit after July 1 this year, for a total period of 20
weeks during last year,” he said. If they made the claim before July 1,
the 20 working weeks would apply to the previous year in 2001, Christofi
explained.
“Turkish Cypriots who work in the United Nations for instance, are
allowed to claim this benefit, because they contribute to the social
insurance fund,” he said. By working in the occupied areas, however,
they did not contribute to the fund in any way, because the government
controlled areas did not have any agreements with the occupying regime
in the north.
In the same article, Levent also referred to the new law allowing
universal child benefit and said it was “another right you (Turkish
Cypriots) can benefit from”.
However, Turkish Cypriots can only claim this social benefit if
they are registered with the tax registrars, if they submit tax
statements and if they pay social insurance, said Government Spokesman
Kypros Chrysostomides.
“The government’s policy is to offer all Cyprus Republic citizens
all the advantages that are offered by the Republic,” he said. But
“rights, simultaneously mean obligations. If, therefore, Turkish
Cypriots wish to claim child benefits then they will have to register
with the tax register, to submit their tax statements, (and) their
social insurance so that they can properly exercise their rights as part
of the Republic,” said Chrysostomides.
He added that Turkish Cypriots who working in the free areas were
already registered and regularly paid social insurance and taxes and
were therefore allowed full benefits."
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