19 GREEK CYPRIOTS TO BE COMPENSATED FOR THEIR PROPERTIES
Turkish Cypriot Immovable Property Compensation Commission concluded
22 out of 162 applications made by the Greek Cypriots for their
property left in the North in 1974.
According to the information given from the Commission, 100 out of
162 applications were made last year and 62 of them in the first 4
months of 2007.
It
was stated that the Commission decided to restitute the properties
to 3 Greek Cypriots whose properties were in Tatlisu and Ziyamet and
compensate the other 19 Greek Cypriots who applied to the
Commission. It was also pointed out that all the files were
concluded by agreement between the sides before going to the Court.
All the necessary procedure for the restitution of the properties is
being carried out by the TRNC Ministry of Interior.
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in its verdict in December
2005 on Arestis case had accepted the Immovable Property Commission
as an internal law procedure to deal with the Greek Cypriot
properties left in the North. There are around 1400 Greek Cypriot
applications in the ECHR on this issue.
The
Commission has 6 members together with its two foreign members named
Hans Christian Kruger and Daniel Tarschys.
ERCAKICA: “resolution
bears significance in terms of the attention it attracted in the
German Parliament”
We
have welcomed the approval of the resolution regarding the Cyprus
problem by the German Federal Parliament yesterday (24 May) in terms
of indicating Germany’s attention in the Cyprus problem.
The
resolution of the German Federal Parliament includes not only some
facts but also some mistakes. However, as it would be expected, a
parliamentary resolution cannot exactly be in line with the stance
of the Turkish Cypriot side who is one of the parties involved.
Therefore, the said resolution bears significance not in terms of
its content but the attention it attracted in the German Parliament.
We expect this increasing attention to serve as a tool in
introducing new opportunities to communicate the rightful struggle
of the Turkish Cypriot people to the world.
As it
is known, prolonging the efforts of finding a solution to the Cyprus
problem, the Greek Cypriot side is striving to be recognized as “the
Republic of Cyprus” and exploit the facilities of their unilateral
EU membership against the Turkish Cypriots. Maintaining and even
increasing the attention of the international community in the
Cyprus problem would present new opportunities to impede the
progress of the Greek Cypriot strategy and to reach a timely,
comprehensive and just settlement for the Cyprus problem.
The
resolution of the German Federal Parliament should be assessed with
in this frame of reference.
MECHTILD ROTHE: “I FEEL BETRAYED”
Greek Cypriot daily Alithia yesterday (27 May) reported that in an
interview with German MEP Mechtild Rothe, whom it described as “one
of the political elites of Brussels and the foreigner who helped the
most for a solution in Cyprus and South Cyprus’ EU membership”, felt
herself betrayed.
It
was pointed out that Rothe responding to a question stated that he
worked with Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos for more than 20
years, however now she had doubts about what she said when
Papadopoulos became the President in 2003 to the effect that
“Papadopoulos would work for the reunification of Cyprus”.
Pointing out that as time passed a solution was becoming more
difficult, Rothe stated that today there was less contact between
the two peoples then it was couple of years ago and said: “both
peoples are developing separately, thus moving away from each
other”.
Stressing that the Turkish Cypriots’ isolation should be lifted,
Rothe said this was the joint position of the European Parliament,
the Commission and the Council. “It is important for us not to turn
our back on the Turkish Cypriots who voted in favour of the Annan
plan with a great majority and help them”, Rothe added.
Pointing out that he hoped the Direct Trade Regulation to be
approved as soon as possible, Rothe said: “This Regulation is
necessary for the Turkish Cypriot people. Council resolution of
January 2007, which calls upon the immediate start of the studies on
the issue of trade with Turkish Cypriot people, is a step taken
towards the right direction”.
Responding to a question regarding the recognition of the TRNC
universities, Rothe said the difficulties faced by Turkish Cypriot
youth in education as result of the situation in Cyrus was
unacceptable and every university student had the right to
participate in exchange programs and their diplomas should be
recognized in other countries.
