Cyprus considers “compensation commission” a Turkish gimmick

The government of Cyprus considers the so-called compensation commission for Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas to be a “gimmick” aimed at causing unrest and problems for the state and countering the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), spokesman Vassilis Palmas said on Wednesday.

Commenting on press reports that the so-called commission had begun notifying the lawyers of Greek Cypriot owners that they would soon be summoned to settle their cases, Palmas said the state could not officially know what contacts were being made privately between those wishing for an amicable settlement.

“On the other hand, I would like to remind the position of the government concerning the so-called commission. We consider it, and insist on this, to be a gimmick, a committee created in order to cause unrest and problems for the Republic of Cyprus and of course to act as a counterbalance to the ECHR,” he said.

He added that “the cost and possibilities this commission has cannot tackle the problems faced by the refugees, some of whom are trying, through some committee, to get their properties back.”

“The Republic of Cyprus will try to secure the interests of the whole of the people of Cyprus, in the adversities we are facing and will continue to face, due to the invasion and occupation and due to the deadlock in the Cyprus problem,” he said.