Head of Hür-İş criticizes minimum wage in Northern Cyprus

Ahmet Serdaroğlu, chairman of the Hür-İş union, stated on Channel T in Northern Cyprus on December 24, 2025, that the current minimum wage does not cover basic living expenses. He also criticized remarks made by Metin Arhun.

Serdaroğlu noted that "after a month, a worker on minimum wage is left with nothing" and that, in practice, it is impossible to sustain oneself on such a salary. According to him, some people are forced to work 19–20 hours a day just to make ends meet; such a situation, in his opinion, is incompatible with the principles of a social state.

He provided examples of consumption restrictions: under stress and with limited means, people cannot afford to buy fish or chops and are forced to choose even the cheapest toothpaste. Serdaroğlu also drew attention to the high cost of domestic goods and emphasized that discussions on minimum wage should be based not on European figures but on the real purchasing power and access to basic needs of the population.

For residents of Northern Cyprus, the facts presented by Serdaroğlu indicate a continued public and political debate over the adequacy of minimum wage and its impact on the standard of living.