Compensation Committees have started to operate in the occupied areas
Under the title: "Bureau for Turkish property in the South has commenced its operations" Turkish Cypriot "CYPRUS TIMES" newspaper (10.05.05) reports, inter alia, the following:
"The first applications by Greek Cypriots to receive compensation for properties in the north that they were forced to abandon, have been made to the commission that was formed recently, and it is expected that these applications will be resolved in the months ahead. No information about the identities or number of the applying Greek Cypriots was divulged.
On the other hand, the bureau that will handle the restitution for Turkish Cypriots concerning properties in the south started operating today and accepted its first applications.
Hatice Sadik who is at present living in the UK made the first application to the bureau this morning. Sadik lodged a complaint through her son Huseyin Sadik concerning two separate properties in the village of Polemidhia, one of which was expropriated for road construction and the other, which was used for constructing a house.
The Bureau for Turkish Property in the south has been set up in the same building as the Commission for the Compensation of Immovable Property opposite the courts in Nicosia, and is attached to the Attorney General's office. The Bureau will be administered by State Prosecutor Gulser Akanyeti, and will employ the services of solicitors Zeki Bayram, Ergin Ulunay and Gursel Kadri to follow proceedings in south Cyprus.
Attorney General Akin Sait held a press conference at his office today to announce the incorporation of the bureau and also gave information concerning the activities of the Commission for the Compensation of Immovable Property abandoned by Greek Cypriots in the north.
"All Turkish Cypriots that feel they have endured injustice due to property they had to abandon in the south will be able to apply to the bureau by simply filling out a form concerning their title deeds", Sait stated.
The Attorney General further explained that Turkish Cypriots would also be able to apply to the bureau concerning compensation for movable assets such as stocks and company shares they abandoned after 1974.
The bureau will conduct investigations on behalf of the applicants and request compensation from the Greek Authority. All expenses will be covered by the state", Sait added.
Over the past two years it has been determined that approximately 600 properties have been expropriated.
Attorney General Akin Ait stated that the first applications for resolving the issue of Greek properties in the north through either compensation or exchange have been accepted. Despite persistent questions from the press, Sait refused to divulge any information concerning the identities or number of Greek Cypriots that have applied to the commission.
Akin Said said: "Greek Cypriots that apply to the commission are being threatened in the south and they are being prevented from entering the north. That is why we are resolute in not giving out names".
"Applications made by Greek Cypriots will be investigated and decided within a few months of the application," stated Sait, adding that it was a legal obligation to pay the settled amount within one month of the decision.
When asked how the necessary resources for compensation would be found, Sait responded: "This is matter for the state. If the state thought it would be unable to find the necessary resource, the state wouldn't have prepared such legislation".
"After 1974, these properties were expropriated, but the owners were not paid", said Sait. And when confronted with the fact that it is in breach of the constitution to pay compensation for loss of use concerning expropriated property, Akin Sait replied: "I respect this opinion but don't agree with it. There was no demand at the time of expropriation; the request is recent and will be paid now. The time lapsed will be made up for".
According to applicable legislation, Greek Cypriots can apply for compensation or the exchange of land they abandoned in the north by paying a 100 Million TL application fee to the Commission for the compensation of Immovable Property".