Top level meetings over north property sales

The foreign minister and attorney-general have had recent meetings about Greek Cypriot businessmen and lawyers active in buying property in the north, Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Tuesday.

Letymbiotis’ statements came as the Cyprus Bar Association said its members are not allowed to engage in such activities.

“A range of legal measures that can be implemented in relation, in particular, to the usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas, is something that the government is considering,” Letymbiotis said.

He added that it is relevant that the foreign minister and the legal service have had meetings on this matter.

“In the coming period some of these measures will start to be activated,” he said.

The matter emerged last week, when the bar association was reported looking into at least two of its members for advertising services related to property sales in the north.

On Tuesday Bar Association President Michalis Vorkas said: “No one can offer local services and advertise that such services [property sales in the north] are offered without first being licensed by the bar association.”

He added that according to information that has come to the bar it appears that a limited liability company, without being a law firm, is advertising the provision of such services and even appears to have offices in the north.

“The issue seems to be taking on some dimensions,” he said.

He added that the Turkish Cypriot lawyer, who is also a bar member, requested to be informed in Turkish, which means some translations were conducted to inform him.

Sources told the Cyprus Mail the company being examined seems to be run by Berk Gokhan and Rikkos Mappourides, both subjects of the investigation.

The bar will also examine whether Mappourides has any connection to Akan Kursat in this case, as he also appears to be Kursat’s legal counsel regarding the latter’s arrest in Italy.

On Monday the north’s HP party leader Kudret Ozersay had said that mafia on both sides of Cyprus are cooperating in selling off Greek Cypriot properties in the north to foreigners.

Speaking to daily Politis about skyrocketing property sales, Ozersay said it seems a loophole in the ‘law’ in the north allows Turkish Cypriot lawyers to act as middlemen for foreigners buying property.

The party leader also questioned practices in the Republic where Turkish Cypriots are denied access to their properties under the law of custodianship in force following the Turkish invasion.

He said that at least the north has tabled and created the immovable property commission (IPC), which is recognised by the European Court of Human Rights as an effective domestic remedy.