PRESIDENT DEMETRIS Christofias yesterday welcomed the “important” Orams ruling but remained low key in his response to what most parties applauded as a legal victory for Greek Cypriot refugees.
Speaking on his return from Athens, Christofias said the decision that the Cypriot court’s ruling must be executed was legally important because the English Court based its ruling on EU laws and the European Convention of Human Rights, while it was politically important “because it gives an answer to the side that wishes to deny the right to ownership or use of property”.
He noted that the decision would be studied fully and used accordingly, but refrained from elaborating further. “I think it would not be very responsible on my part if we got into more detail,” he added.
Attorney-general Petros Clerideas was more open to discussion, saying on last night’s CyBC news bulletin that the Orams ruling was “exceptionally significant” for the Greek Cypriot side and “really surprising”.
The English court spoke about Britain’s obligations under the Treaty of Guarantee, which entail the respect of Cyprus’ sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, he said, referring to paragraph 61 of the judgement.
“The Court of Appeal said such good things for our side,” he said. It establishes without doubt the rights of the owners of occupied property in the north, and obliges the British authorities to recognise and implement Cypriot courts’ ruling on the exploitation of that property. As a result, EU citizens will think three times before buying Greek Cypriot properties in the north, noted Clerides.
UN spokesman in Cyprus Jose Diaz said: “The decision by the British Court of Appeal underscores the need for the two sides to bring to a successful conclusion all the chapters in the Cyprus negotiations, including on the question of property.”
AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou described the ruling as very important and satisfactory. “It puts the issues on the right basis while at the same time really strengthening our positions regarding the handling of the property issue. In this sense, it is a very positive development,” he said.
EDEK leader Yiannakis Omirou said the ruling was a vindication of the values and principles that the EU was founded on. It also “opened the path for Greek Cypriots to assert their inalienable rights regarding their properties in the occupied areas of Cyprus”.
The leader of the opposition, DISY, Nicos Anastassiades welcomed the decision, saying it was a “positive development” which would support Greek Cypriot efforts to solve the property issue. He noted that the ruling supports the European Court of Justice’s opinion, which stated that the decision of a court in one member state is implementable throughout the EU.
Deputy leader of DIKO, Georgios Colocassides said the outcome proved that small nations may not be able to ensure justice but they could prevent the enforcement the imposition and recognition of injustice.
He said the ruling, which makes reference to the Turkish invasion and occupation “should not be underestimated” as it creates new options for victims of the invasion and denies all those who looked at the legal pursuit of rights with scepticism.
