Turkey seeks to impress ECHR regarding remedy
IN A move probably designed to show that it offers an effective remedy for Greek Cypriot compensation claims, the Turkish Cypriot property commission has recently reached two friendly settlements with Greek Cypriot refugees involving the return of hundreds of donums of land and the award of millions of euros in compensation, Politis newspaper revealed yesterday.
Both settlements relate to cases which have been taken to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) by two Greek Cypriots. Friendly settlements of such cases are not new, but these two have prompted Turkey to write to the ECHR in Strasbourg to request the adjournment of 32 cases before it – including 12 cases already ruled on by the ECHR on 20 and 27 January 2009 – until the court’s Grand Chamber rules on eight test cases involving Greek Cypriot claims on 18 November.
In fact, the two settlements are of two of the 12 cases already ruled upon in January, for which compensation has yet to be decided.
Human rights lawyer Achilleas Demetriades told the Cyprus Mail: “It is clear that the Turkish side is preparing for the hearing on 18 November, when the question of the effectiveness of this alleged remedy will be considered by the court.”
Demetriades added: “Clearly, the fact that they are taking this course shows they are trying to impress the court and pretend that the so-called property commission can actually offer an effective remedy. My view is that it does not, and the matter will be dealt with at the hearing in November.”
The first settlement, which has been finalised, involves the immediate return of 234 donums of land – mainly around Kyrenia – and the payment of cash compensation of around €2 million. The second settlement, which has been agreed in principle, also involves a large amount in cash plus and estimated 200 donums of land, around Kyrenia, Morphou, Orka, Livera and Famagusta. One donum (or skala in the Greek Cypriot dialect) is equal to 0.3306 acres or 1,338 square metres.
The latest settlements contrast greatly with the fact that of the 52 requests settled by the Turkish Cypriot property commission up to two months ago, only four involved a return of land – one of these being deferred until after a solution is found to the Cyprus problem – and the total land area was fewer than ten donums. In fact, this lack of substantial returns of land has been a major complaint by Greek Cypriot claimants against the property commission.
