NICOSIA - Turkish Cypriot authorities have expelled thousands of people, mostly from Turkey, since the start of July in a crackdown against rampant illegal immigration, a Turkish Cypriot source said Wednesday.
The action came after an amendment last month to the immigration law that called on clandestine workers to declare themselves by July 1 or face deportation from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Nearly 8,000 illegal immigrants have left the island from the ports of Kyrenia in the north and Famagusta in the east between July 1 and 4, the source told AFP.
The authorities were pressing ahead with the crackdown, checking all workplaces and slapping fines on both the illegal immigrants and their employers, the source said.
Turkish Cypriot labour minister Adem Sonay told reporters Wednesday that more than 27,000 illegal workers had declared themselves to authorities and legalised their stay.
Turkish Cypriot auhorities estimate the number of illegal immigrants in their enclave at about 60,000.
Turkish citizens are able to enter the TRNC, which is recognised only by Turkey, merely by showing their identity cards to Turkish Cypriot immigration officials.
A last-ditch UN plan to reunify the island failed last year when the Greek Cypriots voted it down, earning the right to join the European Union on their own.
The Turkish Cypriots overwhelmingly backed the plan in a separate referendum.
07/06/2005 15:28 GMT