Statement of the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs Regarding the Greek Cypriot administration’s (GCa) continued efforts to criminalise the property issue and to employ international judicial cooperation mechanisms

The Greek Cypriot administration’s (GCa) continued efforts to criminalise the property issue and to employ international judicial cooperation mechanisms in this context once again reveal the absence of a sincere approach towards the Turkish Cypriot side.

The fact that the GCa continues to pursue property disputes through criminal proceedings, including the use of European Arrest Warrants and INTERPOL, despite the existence of the Immovable Property Commission, which has been recognised by the European Court of Human Rights as an effective domestic remedy, constitutes the clearest manifestation of its lack of sincerity.

This approach, which targets both local and foreign individuals lawfully residing, working and investing in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in accordance with applicable law, reflects a systematic policy of exploiting the property issue as an instrument of political and economic pressure, thereby threatening the economic well-being, security and future of the Turkish Cypriot people. This demonstrates, once again, that the GCa’s objective is to instrumentalise the property issue as a means of exerting political and economic pressure rather than to facilitate its legal solution.

There is no meaningful purpose in engaging in negotiations with an approach that lacks sincerity, is characterised by double standards, and seeks to exert pressure on the Turkish Cypriot side while exploiting the existing status quo to its own advantage. Unless this approach changes, it would be futile to expect the efforts undertaken under the auspices of the United Nations to yield a positive outcome.

Against this background, it is difficult to understand on what basis the so-called “historic opportunity” repeatedly invoked by both the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, and his Personal Envoy, María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar, is founded.

In this context, it should be clearly understood that no opportunity will be given to attempts to mislead or punish the Turkish Cypriot people, who have maintained a principled and dignified stance by refusing to submit to such measures, while it is those who have adopted a misguided approach to the Cyprus issue who should instead review and rectify their own approach.

Finally, this occasion serves to reiterate once again that no process can have any realistic prospect of success unless the two sides on the Island enjoy equal status.