Buyers are safe in North Cyprus - promises PM

rtddci


Joined: 29/12/2007
Posts: 842

Message Posted:
27/03/2008 01:45

Oh ok, I was just surfing and came across this report in the Daily Telegraph and thought I'd cheer you all up.



"Britons' homes in Turkish Cyprus 'are safe'

By David Rennie

Last Updated: 12:01am GMT 11/03/2006







Thousands of British families who bought cheap houses or land in Northern Cyprus were told yesterday that their investments were secure, even if European courts ruled that their property was stolen from Greek owners during the 1974 division of the island.



Ferdi Soyer, the prime minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus - which is recognised only by Turkey - gave a "state guarantee" that their ownership could not be successfully challenged.



The political stand-off between the Greek and Turkish sides of Cyprus would ensure that court claims were not enforced, he said.



On a visit to London, Mr Soyer said: "There is no chance that they will lose their property. The British people who buy a house or who want to take land in north Cyprus do not be afraid: everything is under our state guarantee."



But Iannis Kasoulides, a Greek Cypriot MEP, said the guarantee was meaningless. "No politician can give guarantees to people when these matters are before the courts. The courts have the last say. It is totally unsafe to buy a house or build on land that legally belongs to someone else."



Up to 2,000 Britons are thought to have invested in cheap property in the Turkish north of the island. Some did so despite knowing that there were Greek families with title deeds to the land.



British bargain-hunting caused anger in the Greek south, where some families harbour memories of fleeing their homes at gunpoint.



Greek Cypriot claimants have enjoyed a string of legal victories against British property owners, in Greek Cypriot courts and in the European Court of Human Rights.



Those victories were given added teeth after the southern Republic of Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, allowing lawyers to ask British courts to enforce rulings by local judges - raising the prospect of Britons having their UK assets seized to pay compensation.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2006/03/11/wcyprus11.xml



Makes you feel much more secure, .... doesn't it?

Martin

Bradus


Joined: 25/02/2007
Posts: 2641

Message Posted:
27/03/2008 02:12

Quote:

Greek Cypriot claimants have enjoyed a string of legal victories against British property owners, in Greek Cypriot courts and in the European Court of Human Rights.



Not aware of this having happened? Anyone shed more light on this claim?

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
27/03/2008 10:13

Same here i have never heard of any such victories ?

orangekazzie



Joined: 31/07/2007
Posts: 1091

Message Posted:
27/03/2008 11:55

The Ormans is the only one that comes to mind. They won in the Greek Courts but its not finalised yet, as far as I am aware anyway.

Karen

joandjelly


Joined: 24/02/2008
Posts: 2953

Message Posted:
27/03/2008 13:15

The Orams haven't been to a Greek court. They lost in the RoC court but the GCs are unable to enforce the ruling in the North. They then tried to get a UK court to enforce the ruling against their assets in the UK. This was denied, however they were given leave to appeal.