Michaelides accused over Turkish Cypriot properties

INTERIOR Minister Dinos Michaelides was yesterday accused of overstepping his powers by allowing non-entitled individuals to obtain low-rent Turkish Cypriot property.

Akel deputy Kikis Yiangou made the allegations during yesterday’s meeting of the House Refugee Committee, which was discussing a possible review of the law on the government’s handling of Turkish Cypriot property.

“Over the past few years, there has been an increase in the amount of land given to non-entitled individuals and I do not hesitate in personally accusing the Interior Minister of abuse of power and violating existing laws,” Yiangou said after the committee meeting.

The deputy said he had a bulging file of cases in Larnaca, where cheap-rent Turkish Cypriot land and property was allegedly given to a high-rankling official in a semi-government organisation, to a senior police officer and a businessman.

Yiangou said all were assisted in obtaining property, even though they did not meet the necessary criteria.

Refugees are usually given priority when applying for rent subsidised Turkish Cypriot property or businesses, but now Yiangou wants to see non- refugees barred altogether from the scheme in order to weed out the profiteers.

Michaelides will not welcome these latest accusations as he is already at the centre of bribery and corruption allegations currently being probed by Auditor-general Spyros Christou.

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