About 400 Greek Cypriot holders of Turkish Cypriot property were evicted after it was found that they were holding onto the properties illegally.
This number is set to rise to around 500, 110 of these premises are in Paphos which has approximately 38% of Turkish Cypriot premises used as shops.
The question arises as to who signed the contracts with people who are illegally using the property and why the contracts were renewed when it was realised that they were violating the terms of the contract especially when it concerned sub-letting.
Trying to recover the properties is extremely difficult as most of the people occupying the properties are covered by contracts.
Paphos to address illegal TC property use Guardians of a new regime Hasikos to get tough on TC land users
The efforts have not been without reward however.
According to sources, one of the tenants suddenly managed to find €20,000 to cover unpaid rentals to prevent his eviction.
Paphos Mayor Phedonas Phedonos has come out with accusations of mismanagement and profiteering off Turkish Cypriot properties and has declared his willingness to cooperate with the police on the matter.
The issue seems to have political ramifications too as Phedonos has implicated, without as yet naming, a former minister, a former municipal councillor and family members of a very prominent political figure.
“I will not fail to go to the Police,” said Phedonos.
He revealed that there are dozens of well-known names that sublet Turkish Cypriot properties they hold adding that criminal offences arise on the one hand because the proceeds are not declared to the Inland Revenue and on the other; they are breaching the terms of their contracts which prohibits the subletting Turkish Cypriot property.
“The Paphos mayor made some comments on his personal Facebook page about the Turkish Cypriot properties,” said Deputy Police Spokesperson Stelios Stylianou.
“He has not made a formal complaint to us and has told us that he will not be giving a statement yet as he does not have any information that a criminal offence has taken place. He told us that he would instead be taking his complaint to the Interior Ministry. But we have told him that we are at his disposal should he want to speak to us.”
A statement released by Interior Minister Constantinos Petrides notes that he and the Turkish Cypriot Property Management Services are aware of all the cases mentioned by Phedonos.
According to the statement by the Minister, the accusations involve seven cases which are known to the Ministry and efforts are currently under way to recover the properties and to impose other remedial measures.