British government ‘sympathises’ over deeds delay

AN OFFICIAL response to a high profile petition launched on the Downing Street website has left title deed campaigners disappointed.

The petition, submitted in May by British businessman Leslie Glassock, was signed by over 2,000 people, all calling for an end to delays in issuing of title deeds.

The petition read: “We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to exert pressure on the Government of Cyprus to protect property rights in Cyprus in compliance with Article 17 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.”

The official response has been described as “nothing new” by campaigners.

It stated: “The Government sympathises with the problems being experienced by property owners in Cyprus. This issue affects both Cypriots and foreign nationals living in Cyprus, and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office highlights it in its Travel Advice.

“We have also made a number of representations to the Cypriot authorities to make clear our concerns and have been assured that the Cyprus government will introduce legislation to speed up the issuing of title deeds, although unfortunately, this legislation may only apply to future cases.”

Last week Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis said he was working on “introducing effective and comprehensive practices for solving this problem.”

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.