Cyprus-Forum.com

[brother]

Minister hits back over airport land claim
By Elias Hazou


INTERIOR Minister Andreas Christou has dismissed a Turkish Cypriot’s claims to ownership of a large portion of the land on which Larnaca airport is built.

Huseyin Helvacioglu, a refugee from Larnaca now living in Kyrenia, told the bi-communal weekly publication Dialogue that the land, belonging to himself and his brother, had been expropriated and now he wanted it back.

Information is sketchy as to whether Helvacioglu has initiated legal proceedings against the Republic. But assuming he does, he will be the first Turkish Cypriot living in the north to seek compensation for properties requisitioned by the state.

Helvacioglu, seen outside Larnaca airport with his title deeds in hand, said the government built the premises without his permission.

His challenge comes in the wake of a string of lawsuits by Greek Cypriots against persons using their property in the occupied areas. Helvacioglu freely admitted that it was because of these actions that he had decided to go public about what he termed “illegal expropriation by the state”.

He is seeking £100 million in compensation for unauthorized exploitation of his property, citing the landmark case of Greek Cypriot Titina Loizidou who was awarded one million dollars for her house in Kyrenia.

But Interior Minister Andreas Christou, though confirming Helvacioglu’s demands, downplayed the possibility of the case going to court in the Republic, and ruled out any compensation before a settlement of the political issue on the island.

Moreover, Christou disputed the evidence presented by the Turkish Cypriot man, saying that the government had only expropriated 3,100 square meters of the total 110,000 square meters of land belonging to Helvacioglu.

According to Christou, who in his capacity as Interior Minister also acts as the Guardian of Turkish Cypriot properties in the south, the 1974 value of the land was £22,000; so the compensation, if awarded, would be that amount plus accrued interest.

The Guardian was set up in 1991 to accept expropriations on behalf of Turkish Cypriots. The main argument at the time was that Turkish Cypriots living in the north could not be contacted and were not allowed by the north’s regime to cross over to the south.

But with the opening of the checkpoints since April 2003 that line of reasoning has been called into question. The government says, however, that restitution and compensation can be implemented with a far-reaching and consensual exchange of properties, which can only be brought about with a solution to the Cyprus problem.

Christou further said that compensation was determined by the Land Registry department and then deposited into the Guardian’s fund, to be collected by the claimant after reunification. If the claimant did not agree with the sum awarded, he could then contest this in court.

A landmark case last year, involving the return of a house to Turkish Cypriot Arif Mustafa, was put on hold when the Supreme Court suspended an initial order to return the property to its original owner. Though the court accepted Mustafa’s claim as rightful, it postponed execution of the order when the Attorney-general appealed the decision. The issue had deep political undertones, as the house is currently used by Greek Cypriot refugees.

Unofficial figures show that around 12 to 13 per cent of land in the south belongs to Turkish Cypriots, most of whom now live in the north while others have emigrated.

Fears of a wave of similar claims by Turkish Cypriots have not materialised, although plaintiffs could take recourse to the European Court of Human Rights if their demands are not satisfied by the Republic.




It looks like it will become tit for tat on the property issue, soon all cypriots will be in court one way or another, now is a good time to be a solicitor in cyprus

[magikthrill]

he should demand compensation for the use of land till this point without his consent which is his right without a political settlement.

with a political settlement he will then be compensated for the entire property (since it is now an airport - ie used for the public) and/or used in an exchange.

[brother]

Sounds fair to me

[detailer]

he should demand compensation for the use of land till this point without his consent which is his right without a political settlement.

with a political settlement he will then be compensated for the entire property (since it is now an airport - ie used for the public) and/or used in an exchange.

Like your mother's property in north. What do you think?

[brother]

Like your mother's property in north. What do you think?

You talking to me mate or MT

[magikthrill]

Like your mother's property in north. What do you think?

well my mothers property isnt an airport. its occupied by settlers. any solution that gives priority to non cypriots over cypriots isnt much of a solution at all now is it?

[detailer]

Like your mother's property in north. What do you think?

well my mothers property isnt an airport. its occupied by settlers. any solution that gives priority to non cypriots over cypriots isnt much of a solution at all now is it?

That airport is not public cypriot use. It is for GC use which is completely irrelevant to TC in general and to the owner of the land in specific.

Don't ever assume that "clever" GC administation will run away with that land because it is "publicly" used.

[magikthrill]

That airport is not public cypriot use. It is for GC use which is completely irrelevant to TC in general and to the owner of the land in specific.

Don't ever assume that "clever" GC administation will run away with that land because it is "publicly" used.

actually as an int'l airport it is for int'l use.

how does the airport in the north work? was it also built on GC land or did it exist pre 74?

[Kifeas]

Like your mother's property in north. What do you think?

well my mothers property isnt an airport. its occupied by settlers. any solution that gives priority to non cypriots over cypriots isnt much of a solution at all now is it?

That airport is not public cypriot use. It is for GC use which is completely irrelevant to TC in general and to the owner of the land in specific.

Don't ever assume that "clever" GC administation will run away with that land because it is "publicly" used.

Run away?
who said run away?
Did RoC say they want to run away?
As far as RoC is concerned, they have expropriated the land and they deposited the compensation into a separate account, bearing also nominal interest.
???

[detailer]

Like your mother's property in north. What do you think?

well my mothers property isnt an airport. its occupied by settlers. any solution that gives priority to non cypriots over cypriots isnt much of a solution at all now is it?

That airport is not public cypriot use. It is for GC use which is completely irrelevant to TC in general and to the owner of the land in specific.

Don't ever assume that "clever" GC administation will run away with that land because it is "publicly" used.

Run away?
who said run away?
Did RoC say they want to run away?
As far as RoC is concerned, they have expropriated the land and they deposited the compensation into a separate account, bearing also nominal interest.
???

You mean 22000 CP. HEHEHE! I think that you assume that everyone is stupid and you are the clever one