Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat visiting "Domestic Products Fair" on Wednesday (8 September) evaluated the issue of trade from South Cyprus to North Cyprus. Stating that there was an impression that the Turkish Cypriot side, all of a sudden, took restrictive measures on the trade from South to North and banned the flow of goods, Prime Minister explained that this was not true and if the conditions of the two sides become equal, all kind of goods would immediately be allowed to flow freely from South to North. Pointing out that there were still inequalities between North and South on the issues of taxes, incentives and freight prices, Prime Minister said this problem could only be solved through the approval of the Free Trade Regulation by the EU.

Prime Minister said that the trade from South to North has been regulated within the framework of the Green Line Regulation accepted by the EU Council. Pointing out that this regulation was taking into account the economic interest and production of the Turkish Cypriots, Prime Minister said if the EU approved the Free Trade Regulation, they would have allowed the free flow of goods between North and South.

State Planning Organisation (DPO) announced that the per capita income in the TRNC, which was 5,949 US dollars in 2003, would reach to 7,350 US dollars in 2004. DPO stated that in parallel to the positive developments in products and proceeds, they also expected positive developments in the economy, in general.