Deputies approve title amnesty

The House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill allowing thousands of citizens to receive titles for their immovable property, which will also help raise additional funds for the state budget.

The bill, proposed by independent deputy Demetris Syllouris and DISY MP Maria Kyriakou gives the right to citizens who have made minor alterations to their property without permission, or have been affected by alterations made by others to receive their titles. The bill affects all property alterations made after 1990, since the House has already passed a separate bill clearing the backlog before then.

House Finance Committee Chairman Aristos Chrysostomides said a proper implementation of the bill, without bureaucratic red-tape may inject up to CYP 50 mln into state coffers.

He said that currently the backlog of applications for titles amounts to 14.500 adding that the responsible department may handle up to 2.500 cases annually.