The House refugee committee wrapped up its discussions on the management of Turkish Cypriot properties on Tuesday, having decided on regulations for the distribution of residences, business establishments and agricultural land to eligible refugees.

Committee chairman, Akel MP Nikos Kettiros said the regulations were drafted with the contribution of all organisations involved, whose recommendations were taken into consideration.

The main issue, he said, was the “points system” for measuring eligibility, which would constitute the main criterion for the allocation of properties exclusively to eligible displaced people.

“With the new text being drafted – despite the loose ends to be discussed at a future meeting – no one will be able to use an acquaintance, friend or best man to make Turkish Cypriot property available to them,” Kettiros said.

The issues pending are mainly to do with retrieving properties from those who are not eligible and on how to better handle the situation.

Kettiros said there was always an interest in the properties.

“For every residence there could be up to a hundred applications,” he explained.