Newsroom
The mayor of Pano Lefkara, Sophocles Sophocleous, has slammed Cypriot authorities for corruption and poor management of Turkish Cypriot properties in his village. In radio interviews, he said the system is “broken,” leaving homes locked and empty while local families struggle to find housing.
According to Yeni Safak, Sophocleous says he has names of people allegedly involved in bribery and shady deals over these properties, and he’s invited police to check the information. “Some citizens occupy two or three Turkish Cypriot houses that just sit locked while poor couples are in immediate need of a home,” he said. He also accused the Interior Ministry of spreading “lies” and hiding the truth.
If nothing changes, Sophocleous says he will take legal action against the interior minister for failing to properly manage these properties. He also plans to sue over the Kornos mills, claiming Turkish Cypriot property there has been looted.
The Director of the Turkish Cypriot Property Service, Anthi Lakkotrypi, denied all claims of corruption and looting, saying the ministry has a “zero tolerance for any kind of illegal activity.” The dispute could now head to court, setting up a legal and political showdown over these long-locked homes.
