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The Prime Ministry of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said Sunday that claims suggesting citizenship would be granted in exchange for the purchase of a $150,000 housing unit are untrue.
According to the Turkish Agency in Cyprus, the Prime Ministry issued a written statement rejecting media reports that alleged a new policy was being prepared to grant TRNC citizenship to property buyers.
“Our government has no work, decision, or agenda regarding the granting of TRNC citizenship in exchange for the purchase of a housing unit worth $150,000,” the statement said.
“There is no government policy put forward in this direction to date, nor is there any preparation being carried out by relevant institutions," it added.
The statement said the claims were raised following an interview with Cafer Gurcafer, chairman of the Cyprus Turkish Contractors Association, and were misrepresented as government policy.
Earlier this week, several media outlets reported that Turkish Cyprus was considering a plan to address a large stock of unsold housing that accumulated after the pandemic.
The reports claimed the proposed policy would grant TRNC citizenship to Turkish citizens who purchase residential property above a certain value, aiming to revive the construction sector and stimulate the economy.
The Prime Ministry said that amid actions by the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus that politicize legal processes and target the TRNC economy, the government remains in close consultation with sector representatives and economic organizations.
It said efforts are ongoing to ensure the construction sector and the broader economic structure remain resilient, adding that work continues to establish an economic roadmap aligned with public interest and the country’s realities.
The statement also addressed claims that the issue was discussed during an Economic Organizations Evaluation Meeting held on Jan. 16, attended by Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz and TRNC Prime Minister Unal Ustel.
“At that meeting, neither (Mr.) Yilmaz nor Prime Minister Ustel voiced any proposal or suggestion regarding citizenship through property purchases,” the statement said. “Only the demands and recommendations of economic organizations were heard.”
The Prime Ministry emphasized that no government initiative exists to link citizenship to real estate purchases and warned against presenting sectoral discussions as official policy.
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