Despite the prosperity brought by the recent accession of Cyprus to the EU, Turkish Cypriots in their thousands are still leaving their motherland to seek a better life abroad. The Cyprus problem and current deadlock is forcing tens of thousands of young Turkish Cypriots desperate for jobs and hope for the future to leave their homeland. Nuri Silay is just one of thousands of young Turkish Cypriots who have left Cyprus to begin a new life in Britain.

Twenty four years old, the former Republican Turkish Party Youth (CTPG) chairperson Nuri Silay, who worked along side the Turkish Cypriot leadership says immigration to the UK can be “seen with one’s own eyes.” Speaking to Mr Silay about the continuing trend in Turkish Cypriot immigration to Britain, Toplum Postası Staff Reporter, asked why the former Republican Turkish Party politician decided to leave. Silay reported that: “There is no welfare for young people in Northern Cyprus or any system aimed at getting them into work, and consequently young people are left jobless and without any hope.”

Silay continued: “Around 90% of youth from Northern Cyprus have graduated from university, but the so-called state has no strategy or intention to help them.” Adding to the misery of a lack of job prpspects in Northern Cyprus, Silay reports that many of his friends have already immigrated to Britain in the past few months to pursue their studies or work since nearly all Turkish Cypriots hold Republic of Cyprus – EU passports.

With tears in his eyes, Silay recounted: “When I was young, I saw my uncles fly away (at the airport), my grandmother would cry after my uncles, but now my mother is crying for me.” Asked if he had hope for the future, Silay said: “I believe immiration (from Northern Cyprus to Britain) will continue until one day whn only a small neighbourhood of Turkish Cypriots is left in Cyprus.” Silay asked: “Can you imagine, there are now more Turkish Cypriots abroad than in Cyprus?