A German, living in the north, is due to the questioned on Wednesday in the Republic, regarding the usurpation of Greek Cypriot property.

The German suspect, the third in a row suspected of developing and selling Greek Cypriot property without the consent of the owners, was stopped last week while crossing to the south and handed a summons, which he signed.

Kibris Postasi reported late on Friday that the German contractor, residing permanently in the north, was questioned by the police and was released on bail.

“There has not been an arrest,” a police spokesman told the Cyprus Mail. He added that “we are investigating a case of this nature, and statements are being taken.”

He refrained from giving further details.

Well-informed sources told the Cyprus Mail that the police are investigating the case concerning Greek Cypriot property in the north.

The suspect was notified last Wednesday at the Ayios Dhometios crossing point, from where he was crossing into the south, that there was a pending summons to give a statement on June 26.

The German signed the summons, which says that failing to appear would be an offence punishable with a prison sentence and a fine.

The suspect then returned to the north, without crossing into the south.

Turkish Cypriot press sources said the German is among the foreign contractors employed at construction and land development companies in the north.

He does not appear to be linked to Afik group of Israel businessman Simon Aykut, who is facing a total of 124 charges for the exploitation of Greek Cypriot property in the north. He has been remanded in custody in the Republic.

The case of the German is the third in six months concerning a person residing permanently in the north and involved in usurpation of Greek Cypriot property.

However, it is the first time that investigations on this scale are being carried out against an EU citizen.

This appears to have caused quite a bit or unrest in the north and is a main topic of debate among the ‘government’ and the ‘opposition’.

On Friday, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar called a meeting on the issue of property, with the participation of the ‘foreign and finance ministers’, as well as organisations and institutions.

Tatar is expected to raise the issue during an upcoming meeting with UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin.

Meanwhile, contractors, engineers, hoteliers to name a few are gearing up to complain to the EU and UN that the issue is being exploited politically by the south with an aim to suffocate the north’s economy, especially the construction and real estate industry, which has been booming over the past two or three years.

The north’s ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel said in a written statement that they are making “international representations”.

‘Tourism minister’ Fikri Ataoglu said that if the Republic continues, the north will retaliate and the only forum to solve the property issue will be the “immovable property committee”.

The same sources noted that, apart from the unrest in the north, there was also a lingering sense of uncertainty among those living in Greek Cypriot property.

It appears they fear crossing to the south for tourism, shopping or other errands will get them arrested.

The boom in development and sale of property to foreigners has been widely covered in the Turkish Cypriot press.

Whole areas are construction sites, with buyers including Europeans, Iranians, Israelis, Russians and Ukrainians.

The issue is also a topic of heated discussions on the political scene, with the ‘government’ and ‘opposition’ exchanging accusations and I-told-you-so’s.