Newsroom
More than 8,000 applications have been filed with the "real estate committee" in the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus, but just over 2,000 cases have been resolved, according to its chairwoman, Novber Ferit Vejhi.
As reported in the Turkish Cypriot press, the committee has so far paid out a total of £531.1 million in compensation. Only a handful of decisions involved returning properties to the original owners—just five cases. In two others, a combination of exchange and compensation was granted, and in eight, both return and compensation were offered.
The committee was established by the Turkish Cypriot side to manage claims involving properties left behind by Greek Cypriots after the 1974 invasion.
The topic of property in the occupied north continues to stir controversy. Kudret Ozersay, head of the People's Party, accused the Turkish Cypriot administration of staying silent while the Republic of Cyprus pursues legal action over the illegal use and sale of Greek Cypriot land.
Ozersay argued that the Greek Cypriot side is targeting individuals who buy, sell, or advertise such properties, warning that the impact could spread beyond the real estate and construction sectors and affect the entire community in the north.
He also turned the criticism around, claiming that Turkish Cypriot properties in the Republic-controlled areas are being rented out in ways that violate international law. “We are not the ones lying on Turkish Cypriot properties; the Greek Cypriots are. Everyone needs to face that truth,” he said.
He called for action at the United Nations if necessary, saying Turkish Cypriot rights are being systematically ignored. “This injustice must stop,” Ozersay said.
