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[donyork]

Trapped? That is a claim made by Candounas and we only have his word for it — there is no evidence actually. The police arrested him on the basis of a court order, made on the application of a British resident he has apparently harrassed and in accordance with the laws of the TRNC. If it is a trap it is one of his own making. Doubtless we shall hear that there are no laws and no courts in the north and that GCs are above all that sort of thing. What will be more to the point — since chatter is irrelevant — will be whether Mr Candounas appears in court later as he is bailed to do (in which case he will thereby acknowledge courts which he presently pretends do not exist) or he will refuse to recognise the court, in which case he will never be allowed across the border again save at risk of arrest for contempt of court. Either way, it is not a happy prospect for our local hero.

[Alexandros Lordos]

To me, it seems like the authorities in the north are trying to put Candounas in a position from which he can't escape: If he does appear before court to defend himself, it will be like recognising the TRNC - something they know Cantounas cannot do. If he fails to appear before court (which is probably what they are betting on) he will in the future be denied access to the north, since he would be facing the risk of "arrest as a fugitive".

So I think the purpose of this ruse was to block Cantounas from going to the north in the future, and thus hamper what he is trying to do with the legal cases against foreigners.

[erolz]

So I think the purpose of this ruse was to block Cantounas from going to the north in the future, and thus hamper what he is trying to do with the legal cases against foreigners.

I can't say I agree with your analysis here Alexandros. Firstly preventing him from being able to come to the North has no impact on his ability to prosecute the kind of cases that he is perusing currently. TV laywers may be investigator, notice server and many other roles combined but 'real' lawyers tend to cncentrate on the law and leave the other stuff to others.

It seems to me at least possible that the intention is to hamper him comming to the North in order to hamper him from harassing people living here. At the end of the day it for a court to decide weather his actions were within the law here or not.

Which puts TC/TRNC in a position it is hard to escape from. On the one hand we are accused of not having 'law and order' here or 'due process'. On the other if we do enforce law and order here through due process we are also condemd.

I do not know if he is harassing residents in Karmi or not. However there is much 'hersay' here about various 'harasing' incdents experienced by (british) residence in Karmi. I stress these are 'hersay' (I have not personaly witnessed them) - things like 'annonymous death threat letters' to abusive and agressive verbal attacks and other incidents.

The choice of Karmi (I am sorry this is the name I know the place by) is a strange one. Karmi is not like the majority of the TRNC. No foreign resident in Karmi owns the property they are living in (under TRNC law). The whole village is owned by the 'state' (there you go I used quotes for you all) and is only leased to those living there. In this regard it seems to me that Mr Cantounas is chosing 'soft targets' for his legal action. He should be suing the owner of the property - not the leasees. However the owner (the TRNC state) is not 'recognised' by him and the impact of legal threats against the TRNC has no where near the impact of threats against the lease holders there and the TRNC is a 'tough' target. This to me is circumstantial evidence (not proof) that the objective of Mr Cantounas is much wider than just seeking justice for his clients. Also it is my understanding (though I may be wrong) that he is 'looking' for properties suitable for his particular flavour of leagl action first and then seeking 'clients' for whom he can 'protect'. This smacks of the 'ambulance chasing' kind of laywer to me as is pretty distastful. It is one thing to have a clinet come to you and ask you to take action on there behalf. It is entirely another to have a lawyer first seek out a 'soft target' and then find the client that relates to this target.

[Alexandros Lordos]

Erol,

It all depends on what you mean by "harassment".

Cantounas was probably inspecting the situation at Karmi, gathering information for his various cases (or, as you say, perhaps looking for new cases - an ethically debateable course of action). Of course, to the foreign people living there this would be experienced as very threatening, as "harassment". This was probably the basis of the complaint. There might even have been a heated exchange of words, and Cantounas perhaps lost his temper and said something along the lines of what he has been accused of.

In my mind though it is not harassment, for me harassment is what the foreigners who live at Karmi do, whenever a Greek Cypriot comes to visit his home and they tell him "Step out of my property or I'll call the police".

Personally, I am strongly in favor of what Cantounas is doing. I hope he sues every single one of those foreigners who have cosily settled into "budget" Greek Cypriot properties. Their governments have been warning them, but they chose to take their chances.

[donyork]

As it happens I am a lawyer. The professional basis of which is that you do not select your clients, they select you. Ambulance chasing brings the profession into disgrace, but that is because in such cases it could be argued that the lawyer is acting or himself — he wants the money. Candounas (regardless of the merits of any case he argues) is pursuing his own agenda, and in that respect he is the client, with the apparent client merely the poodle he needs to pursue his own agenda. Is is client actually paying him fees? Has he a case which is likely to result in an order of benefit to himself? I doubt if Yes is the answer to either. I have no objection to politicians pursuing political ends, whether or not I agree with them. But Candous is an adventurer. He seeks to make his name, and in so doing he is likely to make matters worse for his professed aim not better. He as opened his mouth too often, unwise in a lawyer. A backlash is building against him, and I am obliged to say that history might well show him as having done more damage to his cause then good. I think he has probably already blown his game.

[Alexandros Lordos]

As it happens I am a lawyer. The professional basis of which is that you do not select your clients, they select you.

Yes, I can accept this. Even though I agree with the principle that foreign buyers of Greek Cypriot properties should be sued, I also agree that it is inappropriate for the lawyer to be taking the initiative. Cantounas should just wait for owners of properties to come to him, not go look for them himself (if that is indeed what he is doing, we don't know for sure so he is innocent until proven guilty).

[Piratis]

Personally I never visited the occupied areas. I believe no GC should for any reason.

At the same time, everybody that his home is illegally occupied should file a case with the ECHR.

[Viewpoint]

Even though I agree with the principle that foreign buyers of Greek Cypriot properties should be sued

Good idea for a new thread???

[erolz]

Erol,

It all depends on what you mean by "harassment".

And that is for a court to decide ulitimatley.

I am still interested to know how you think hampering his ability to travel in the TRNC stops his ability to prosecute his cases at all?

Personally, I am strongly in favor of what Cantounas is doing. I hope he sues every single one of those foreigners who have cosily settled into "budget" Greek Cypriot properties. Their governments have been warning them, but they chose to take their chances.

I find this attitude towards foreign residents in the TRNC a little worrying. Some foreign residents here (and proprtionaly more of the recent ones) have chosen to settle in the TRNC because of it 'competetiveness' - but certainly not all. Many that came pre the recent boom actualy came to the North because they had some prior knowledge and conections with it. For example many ex service people who served here in the 50-60 and onwards (in the UN contingents) actualy chose to settle in the North because they felt some solidarity with TC based on their personal experiences in the past. For as long as I can remember I have been asking British in Cyprus (tourists and residents) "what brought you to the North". Prior to the couple of years the vast majority had some 'connection' to Cyprus and TC. I get uneasy when there is a trend to 'villify' any group of people. I think it is very easy for Cypriots to take out the frustrations on foreign residents (and to a degree settlers as well) based more on motives of 'vengance' than on justice and understanding and that for me is a very dangerous road - the easier it is the more dangers it poses.

Personally I am not in favour of his actions because I do not think they are helping to create the necessary environment to find a really comprehensive solution. I am also not really that concerned at the effect of his actions because I personaly think that the chances of him being able to sieize assets from these people in the UK is from near zero to zero (just a personal 'guess - I am no lawyer).

[Piratis]

And that is for a court to decide ulitimatley.

I have a court here at my home. Can I take decisions too?