Lefkara mayor threatens to take matters into own hands over dilapidated Turkish Cypriot properties
The mayor of Lefkara threatened on Tuesday to take matters into his own hands in relation to dilapidated and empty Turkish Cypriot properties located in his community, accusing the government of indifference and inaction.
In parliament, Sofocles Sofocleous pointed the finger at the government, saying he has been alerting successive interior ministers to the issue since 2017.
No minister has ever bothered to respond to him, which was “insulting”, he added.
The minister of the interior acts as the ‘guardian’ and administrator of Turkish Cypriot properties in the south.
According to Sofocleous, there are 105 Turkish Cypriot properties in Lefkara, abandoned since 1963.
Some of them are listed.
“The state must undertake responsibility to protect them. They are collapsing day by day,” he told MPs.
He also speculated that some of the abandoned homes may be being used for drug trafficking.
The mayor spoke of chronic mismanagement of Turkish Cypriot properties “with the state’s tolerance”.
He remarked: “We know who possesses them [the properties] and how, and what moves took place to legitimise their handover.”
Sofocleous cited specific cases of under-the-table dealings, where individuals who are not Greek Cypriot refugees – and therefore ineligible to make use of or live in Turkish Cypriot properties – paid amounts ranging from €15,000 to €20,000.
“These individuals paid the families living there this money, so that the properties were handed over to them.”
The mayor went on: “Either the problem gets solved, or I will solve it. It will be solved with procedures provided by law, or with procedures possibly not provided by law.
“And I will assume the political and civil liability.”
In one case, he said, he did take matters into his own hands – he changed the locks to an uninhabited house, so that a pregnant woman could move in.
“In the end, her presence in the house was legitimised. If these homes are given to people to live in, the matter can be considered settled.”
Responding, a senior official with the interior ministry acknowledged the problems with Turkish Cypriot properties in Lefkara – but insisted the government is on top of the issue.
Eleni Karekla said the government has taken stock of the situation in the village.
There are 88 Turkish Cypriot premises – of which 59 residential, 11 professional (shops), while 18 are uninhabited.
The official acknowledged that “illegalities” are going on at the premises.
These include the non-payment of rent or the non-renewal of the lease after the passing of the original tenant.
Government services have sent out letters to those behind on their rent. Additional steps would be taken against those who continue refusing to comply.
Regarding the empty properties, which the mayor called “dangerous”, Karekla said that civil engineers have been instructed to conduct visual inspections.
“We know of two properties slated for demolition,” she said.
The official noted that the next round of publishing Turkish Cypriot properties available for rent would take place in April.
“We expect this will include the properties in Lefkara,” she said.
MPs called for the government to commit to a timeline for fixing up and cleaning the run-down properties.