Number of Greek Cypriots resorting to the “immovable property commission” very small, says Spokesman

The number of Greek Cypriots resorting to the “immovable property commission (ipc)” in the Turkish-occupied areas is “infinitesimal”, while the applications concerning Greek Cypriot properties, which have been examined and finalised by the same “commission” are even fewer, Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Friday.

Letymbiotis was replying to a question during a media briefing, at the Presidential Palace, about the announcements made in the Turkish-occupied areas regarding the compensation awarded to an applicant by the “ipc” for a property case, for which the European Court of Human Rights already issued a judgement, condemning Turkey for violations while awarding compensation which has yet to be paid.

Asked whether there is a risk of closing the supervision of the execution of similar judgements by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the Spokesman said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in contact about the issue regularly and consistently, and takes all necessary
action.

“We don’t think there is such a risk” he went on, adding that this is an ongoing effort over which the government wants to communicate, but also intensify its efforts even further “because it is precisely the decisions of the Council of Europe – and we have recently seen the decisions on Varosha – that we believe send the right messages.”

The Spokesman added that, according to the information the Government has regarding the effectiveness of the “ipc”, it seems that only “an infinitesimal number” of Greek Cypriots have resorted to the “commission” and “the number of applications that have been finalised or examined are even fewer.”

The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers meets on 17-19 September, and will examine, among other things, Turkey’s implementation of ECHR rulings concerning Greek Cypriot property in the Turkish-occupied territories of Cyprus.

The “immovable property commission” was a result of the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights, with the purpose of establishing an e
ffective domestic remedy for claims relating to Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas. Previously, ECHR had ruled on multiple occasions that refugees have the right to return to their former properties and that Turkey should award damages for loss of use of their properties.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. The European Court of Human Rights sentenced Turkey in numerous cases, brought forward by Greek Cypriots, concerning the violation of their fundamental human rights, following the 1974 invasion.

Source: Cyprus News Agency