Turkish Cypriot judge wins Supreme Court battle
By John Leonidou
A TURKISH-CYPRIOT judge who was ordered to abandon his job has won a Supreme Court battle to claim unpaid wages and pension money dating back to 1966.
Although unconfirmed, legal sources say the appellant could be getting as much as £100,000.
According to the appeal, which was accepted by Supreme Court Judge Myron Nicolattos on March 21, Ulfet Emin was forced out of his office on the morning of June 2, 1966 by Greek Cypriot police and moved into the Turkish section of the island despite his protests.
On May 18, 2004 Emin sent a letter to the Finance Ministry and President Tassos Papadopoulos informing them about his request for his unpaid wages and pension money.
But after receiving no reply, his lawyer sent a second letter to which a reply was sent on July 2 the same year informing them that their request had been declined.
It was then that Emin decided to take the matter to court.
According to the government, Emin was classified as a Turkish Cypriot government employee who had abandoned his post and would have therefore not been entitled unpaid money and other benefits until the matter could be properly looked into by the government.
But Emin had argued that he didn’t abandon his post and that he was forced out of his job at gunpoint by a Greek Cypriot policeman.
During the sixties and in the height of the tensions between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities of the island, Emin had been a Family Court Judge for the Turkish communities of Nicosia, Famagusta and Kyrenia.
The court had previously heard how Emin, being a judge, would be allowed to cross over into the Greek area without any problems from the Greek Cypriot police at the Ledra Palace checkpoint.
“In relation to this case, it is unfortunately necessary that I reveal the sad events of June 2, 1966. In the report of the appellant it is noted that at around 9am he left his home in the Turkish area to go to work at the district courts of Nicosia.
The judge went on to say that at around 9.05am he passed as he usually did past the Ledra checkpoint. At the time a police officer was checking another car and did not pay attention to the judge driving by. At 9.10am he arrived at his office. A few minutes later, fellow Judge Mavromattis told him that he had been informed that he was not allowed to pass into the Greek area.
Emin later spoke with other Turkish Cypriot judges who told him that they had been refused entry into the Greek area.
“A few moments later, the state prosecutor Sergeant Kallonas entered his office and informed him that he was wanted because he had crossed the checkpoint without stopping after the police signalled him down,” continued Judge Nicolattos.
“It was then that the officer in charge at the checkpoint, who said was called ‘Mikis’ entered into his office and ordered him to leave immediately and return to the Turkish area”.
According to the court decision, the events that occurred were also confirmed by Judge Mavromattis.
Judge Nicolattos also informed both sides that judges wrongfully deemed as government employees. “I do not consider a judge of the Cyprus Republic to be under the category of civil servant and government official.”
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Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2007
Good to see that the Justice system has prevailed. I wonder what it would mean for this judge, will he be allowed to practice in the RoC if that is what he wanted? I hope that he does.
