Oğuz reacts to the opposition on population census: A populist approach
Minister of Interior Dursun Oğuz made statements regarding the country’s population during the ‘Manşet+’ program broadcast on BRT.
Emphasizing that the figure of 273,000 announced by the High Election Board is the number of citizens residing in the country, Oğuz stated that TRNC citizens living abroad are not included in this figure because they do not have the right to vote.
Stating that the country’s projection population is certain, Oğuz described the opposition’s rhetoric of “we will conduct a population census” as a populist approach.
Expressing that a population census cannot be conducted every five years, Oğuz noted that work is ongoing regarding the Spatial Address Registration System, known by its short name MAKS.
Pointing out that the project could not be concluded at the desired speed due to certain circumstances experienced in the local administrations leg, Minister of Interior Oğuz noted that there are municipalities that have completed the procedures or are at the completion stage.
Oğuz said, “We are also pushing some of our municipalities, trying to motivate them to complete it. We also provided labor support to some of our municipalities. Our municipalities have almost completed the registration procedures of roads, streets, and buildings. Currently, the process regarding the registration of people in buildings, in other words, the population, is ongoing. The work will be completed according to the performance of our municipalities.”
Stating that with the full capacity commissioning of the MAKS project, the daily updated version of the population can be seen, Oğuz underlined that the data needed will also be provided thanks to the information to be obtained about the population in this way.
Minister Oğuz asked, “There are those who do not accept the projection population and say we will count the population. But today, you cannot say that a census you will make by locking everyone at home will be reliable. How many years later will you repeat the census you did today?”
Emphasizing that very clear data regarding the population will emerge with the completion of the MAKS project, Oğuz recalled that there are no longer countries in the world where people are locked in their homes to conduct a population census.
Stating that both in Turkey and in South Cyprus, actions are now taken according to the projection population, Oğuz underlined that all planning in the TRNC is carried out completely by taking the projection population as a basis.
