Cyprus-Forum.com

[Gasman]

http://www.northcyprusfreepress.com/2010/01/23/greek-cypriots-have-already-issued-9500-title-deeds-for-tc-property/

There is evidence that not just the TRNC issued title deeds to properties owned by refugees from the other side of the Green Line. These title deeds stated that the governments supported the concept that the refugees occupying these properties actually owned them. At no time was it said by either government that the ownership of these properties could not be transferred. This was the opinion of the internationally recognised GC government at the time and it was only in 2004 when Cyprus became a member of the EU that a new set of laws took precedence.

How on earth could anyone purchasing these properties pre-April 2004 have known that there was not an exchange agreement in place? There was no response from the north saying that GC refugees could not be given ownership of the TC property they occupied. It made sense and seemed to imply that what they were doing in the north was, although not legally correct, a perfectly valid process now taking place in the south.

Read the article taken from Cyprus Mail Archives, dated May 14th 1998, and make up your own mind about the confusion that reigned before EU laws replaced Cypriot laws in 2004:

“Tempers flared in the House refugee committee yesterday morning as the government’s controversial scheme to issue title deeds for refugee homes came under scrutiny.”

“Committee chairman Aristofanis Georgiou, of Akel… the discussion with a regurgitation of the opposition line that the scheme had been none other than a Clerides ploy to win refugee votes in the run-up to last February’s presidential elections. Thousands of deeds were handed out before the election, and none afterwards, Georgiou stated by way of proof for his claims.”

“Christoforou countered that opposition to the scheme was politically motivated. No refugee had expressed displeasure at receiving a deed for his property, he said. The House had, by blocking the scheme in mid-flow, created an “unjust” situation where some refugees had title deeds and others not.”

Georgiou took exception to this last assertion and intervened to stop for majority decisions of the House plenum.”

“I say the House has torpedoed government efforts to meet its pre-election promises,” he stated, adding that the scheme was a promise Clerides had made as long ago as 1983.”

Charalambos Loizou, of the Nisou refugee housing estate committee, complained that the deeds were worthless anyway as banks and cooperatives would not accept them as collateral.

“Government policy on the refugee title deed issue remains the same,” Michaelides said. “I categorically reject statements that the deeds were given for pre-election reasons.”

“He also dismissed suggestions the scheme played into the hands of the Turkish side by implying that the status quo imposed by the invasion had been accepted.”

“Why, when nine-and-a-half thousand people have received deeds till now has no refugee from any party come forward to say the scheme is unacceptable because it goes against national interests?” he asked.”

Source
[1] Hellenic Resources Network

[Nikitas]

Gasman,

You confused me.

As far as I know the refugee titles issue referred to housing built for refugees after 1974. I have relatives who were given such housing built on government land post 1974. This land, and I am referring to the cases I know, had nothing to do with TC properties.

The issue was whether these refugees should be given legal title to the housing they occupied since 1974. One view was that they should not, the other was that they should. A similar situation arose in the Uk under Thatcher who supported the sale of council flats to their occupiers inorder to alleviate maintenance costs on local councils.

As for refugee homes built on TC land, as far as I have read in the GC press, there was always a problem with the issue in reference to compensation that would have to be paid to the original owners of such lands. The view was that such lands came under the public works category and the compensation rules applied to other projects, ie the Larnaca airport project, and the Limassol highway, should be applied. in these cases.

Perhaps someone can provide a clearer and more precise info about this. The report above is not clear on the point of original ownership.

[Gasman]

Lots of things confuse me.

I know that most of the 'Brits' who've bought property in the 'TRNC' have not bought resale houses and apartments. They've bought new off plan dwellings built on LAND that was probably owned by GCs.

There are huge estates of high rise flats in the North too that I assume were built to house either TCs, settlers or troops. I suppose the same could be said about them - that they were 'govt projects'?

However, the thing that confuses me the most recently is this. I live where almost ALL the property around me and down to the waterfront is TC property. The old Turkish Town in Lca.

Most of it has been in an appalling state of repair. I mean really disgraceful. Has been lived in for decades by GC refugees (I am told that it is only those with 'refugee status' who are allowed to live in them) but never had a lick of paint in all that time. Where they've knocked down enclosed garden walls to park their cars, they literally have just bashed them down - not finished them off.

I am told by some (obviously more responsible and civic minded) GCs who live there that they are ashamed of the way most GCs steadfastly and absolutely refuse to spend a penny on caring for the properties because they are TC property. This extends to them not even picking up a bit of litter in the street outside.

Now for the puzzlement. All the talk this past two years or so has been about a settlement being reached - unification - solving the Cyprob.

Now, just this year, lots of these old TC properties are being 'done up'. And, the govt has plans to widen the waterfront road (entirely fringed with TC properties). Some of the GCs living in them are not best pleased because apparently they won't be able to park their cars along there any more once the road has been widened.

But why NOW? When there might be a real possibility of TCs wanting to return to their property AFTER any solution is reached? It's crossed my mind that maybe they will knock down the houses that are right on the road and say it is 'govt project' work or whatever.

I was also puzzled by the number of younger families seeming to be moving into these properties (the vast majority of them are inhabited by people who are VERY old) but these are families with young children. I've been told they are probably still refugees (having had the status handed down to them). But they can hardly have been in such dire need of housing can they - if none of them were even BORN in 1974? Where were they living until now? Married with kids and needing to occupy property that it was said had to be utilized because there was nowhere to put all the 'refugees' that came south?

I doubt anyone here will have answers to any of the questions because I get the impression that the Cyp govt doesn't actually think it has to account for anything it decides to do to the electorate.

[Viewpoint]

Ah Gasman you are just seeing a little peek of how devious these GCs are and to boot they wrap it up Eu ribbon.

[Gasman]

Ancient old TC houses - not touched for years. Now, suddenly, lots of them seem to be having major refurbishment done to them? Just seems like odd timing to me.

This is typical of most of them. These are right on the waterfront, just before you reach Lca Fort.

[Nikitas]

"Now, just this year, lots of these old TC properties are being 'done up'. "

Maybe I can add some light on this. From my visit to Lefkara a couple of years ago I learned that refugees who live in TC owned houses have been given grants to renovate the houses. I specifically asked my friend, a civil servant, who occupies one of these houses if they were given deeds and the response was a clear negative.

Perhaps the same is happening in the Larnaca area and the renovations are due to grants there too.

[Gasman]

Just up the road from those - here is what is going on with some others very recently:

[Gasman]

Perhaps the same is happening in the Larnaca area and the renovations are due to grants there too.

The grants have been available for a long time. I have GC friends who live in some of these houses.

They pay a tiny rent for them. There is money available from the Govt. to do them up but, as I said above, most just don't want to.

I know GCs who have totally rebuilt and renovated TC property in the RoC and turned it into busy Taverna. They are quite open about it. They moved in during the past few years. They say the deal is - however much they spend on it, if the original owner turns up and wants it back - they will not be compensated for their outlay.

But they seem pretty confident the day will never come when this will happen.

I will post a photo of a Taverna in a village high up above Limassol where this is the case.

Married couple, late thirties, two kids. Said they got fed up with the heat, noise and traffic in Nicosia so moved out.

[Gasman]

There are three old houses (quite big ones) in the old town that are used by some artists. I've been told they only pay 150 euro a month for all three of them and hardly ever use them.

Quite a lot of these residential properties have been turned into business premises. I mean in the back roads, not along the waterfront where I imagine some of them already were businesses.

[Piratis]

Those refugees were not given title deeds to TC properties, but to refugee housing build on state land.

Refugees who temporarily live in TC properties (until they are allowed by the Turks to return to their own homes) do not have title deeds for them.

Expropriations of TC properties (just like GC properties or properties owned by anybody else in Cyprus) are done only by the state in order to build roads, schools, hospitals etc.

Everything is very clear.

Gasman, if your sources are crap, then you get crap. Those who publish in the link you gave are nothing more than a bunch of criminals who illegally "bought" Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied part of Cyprus. Did you really expect to get any valid information from them?