Cyprus-Forum.com

[halil]

Daily Cyprus Star Writes :


According to the Greek Cypriot press, 6,890 old Greek Cypriots properties in the TRNC were sold to foreigners in the last two years. The British and the Israelis are said to be especially interested in the property.

* It was declared that the number of the property deals (in the TRNC) between Greek Cypriots has reached 2,044 in the last five years.

It was reported that the Greek Cypriots tend to solve the property problem, shown as the most crucial topic in the Cyprus dispute, with personal initiatives. According to the information given to the Greek Cypriot Immigrants Committee by the Greek Cypriot Interior Ministry and the Greek Cypriot Prosecution Office, the number of the property deals (in the TRNC) between Greek Cypriots has reached 2,044 in the last five years. It was declared that 3,315 decares in total of land were sold for 12,926,751 Euros.
Politis newspaper captioned the article under the headline: “Personal Solutions for Property – the sales in the occupied area elaborates the problem – the amount of land sold from Greek Cypriots to Greek Cypriots in the North has reached 3,315 decares in the last five years.”
The newspaper reported that the Greek Cypriot immigrants, who suffer economical problems, even apply to the TRNC Property Commission, which produced 61 decisions and accepted to pay one fifth of the actual value of the properties (almost 7 million Cyprus Pounds) as compensation. It was reported that the Commission ordered the return of only two of the properties, but it is not still certain whether that will or can be possible.

The interest of foreigners

The article stated that when the developments made by the Turkish Cypriots are added to this amount, 6,890 old Greek Cypriot properties were sold to foreigners in the last two years.
The newspaper wrote that most of the Greek Cypriot properties are sold to British and Israeli people by the Turkish Cypriots. The number of British people living permanently in the TRNC has reached almost 8,000.
Politis continued as follows: “It is also a significant fact that there has been a decrease in the amount of Greek Cypriot properties bought by foreigners after the Orams case (almost half of the sales before the case). According to the Chairman of the Committee of Immigrants, Aristofanis Georgiu, this decrease shows that “we can succeed if we demand our rights.”
The sales of the Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas started after 2002, which means that it is 20 years after the government of Denktas started distributing titles which gave also the right to hand over the property.
According to the findings of the government, 3,315 decares in total of Greek Cypriot property was sold in the North, and 173 decares are waiting to be approved. One more property sale was approved by the Title Office in the first months of 2009.
According to the Chairman of the Committee of Immigrants, Aristofanis Georgiu, the sales of 2,251 decares of land was held in a gratuity method and they were not approved by the Title Office. Normal taxes were applied on these sales.
However, 2,044 hand-over operations from Greek Cypriot to Greek Cypriot do not reflect the actual problem. It seems impossible that some Greek Cypriots may sell their properties to people who operate in the North without submitting the necessary documents to the Greek Cypriot Title Office. Another problem is how the Title Office can carry out valuations though they are unable to access the relevant properties in the North. EU citizens may also start buying the Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas.”



20.03.2009

[DT.]

simplistic article which gives the wrong impression.

Greek Cypriots are selling their properties to other Greek Cypriots via the legal avenue of the Cyprus Land Registry.

Turkish Cypriots are selling Greek Cypriot land to foreigners, something which is illegal and invalid.