T/Cs told to first exhaust Cyprus’ legal means

Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardes said it was impossible for the European Court of Human Rights to accept the application of four Turkish Cypriots regarding the restitution of their property in the coastal town of Limassol.
“It is impossible that the ECHR accepts the application of four Turkish Cypriots for the restitution of their property in Limassol since they have not exhausted the internal legal means of the Republic of Cyprus”, Pashiardes stressed.
The Spokesman described the move of the four Turkish Cypriots as “an effort to create diversion in the legal applications of Greek Cypriots at the ECHR”.
Pashiardes was invited to comment on information that four Turkish Cypriot siblings intend to apply to the ECHR asking for the restitution of their property which is located in Limassol, as well as compensation reaching seven million euros.
”Before the four Turkish Cypriots apply to the ECHR, they should exhaust the internal legal means of the Republic, an action they have not done yet. So, we consider it impossible for the ECHR to accept their application”, he said.
Commenting on a statement made by the Turkish Cypriot attorney of the four applicants, that their case is similar to the one of Greek Cypriot Titina Loizidou, Pashiardes said that there is no similarity between both cases.
“The Turkish occupation regime has been forbidding Loizidou the peaceful access to her property, whereas the Turkish Cypriots, being legal citizens of the Republic of Cyprus, have and can enjoy all rights as provided to them by the constitution”, he said.
The Spokesman added that Loizidou had no other alternative but to apply to the ECHR.
“On the other hand, Turkish Cypriots have the right to apply to Cypriot courts for the restitution of their property in the areas that are under the control of the legal government of Cyprus and it is up to the court to reach a ruling. The Cypriot court’s rulings may I remind you, are being executed”, he concluded.
EU member state Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory.
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled in property cases brought against Turkey by Greek Cypriots that they remain the legal owners of their land in occupied Cyprus.
In one specific case, Ankara has paid compensation amounting to nearly one million US dollars to Greek Cypriot Titina Loizidou and was ordered to allow her access to her property.