Cyprus estate agents seek correction of reports over occupied property claims

The Cyprus Real Estate Agents Association (Skek) has called on media organisations to publicise the closure of a police investigation into allegations linking estate agencies to illegal activities involving Greek Cypriot properties in the Turkish-occupied north. In a statement this week, the association said the criminal investigation had been completed and that, following an assessment of the evidence by the Legal Service, instructions had been given to archive the case because no evidence had emerged to justify criminal prosecution. Skek, which is affiliated with the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve), said the outcome represented a significant development that the public was entitled to know, particularly given the extensive publicity surrounding the original allegations. The claims were linked to a complaint made public by the Cyprus Real Estate Agents Registration Council in May 2025, which generated considerable negative publicity for specific businesses and the wider real estate sector. “Those allegations received extensive publicity, creating serious negative impressions about specific businesses as well as the entire real estate sector,” the association said. Skek argued that the conclusion of the investigation should receive comparable attention to the original accusations, calling on newspapers, news websites and social media platforms that had published or reproduced the allegations to inform their audiences of the official outcome. “There cannot be extensive publicity for a complaint and silence about its official conclusion,” the association said. The statement follows concerns raised in June 2025 by Cyprus Real Estate Agents Registration Council president Marinos Kineyirou, who warned about illegal real estate activity involving Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied north. Kineyirou had argued that the issue extended beyond criminal offences and was directly connected to the continued exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties in areas under Turkish occupation. “This is not just a penal issue. In Cyprus, it appears to be directly connected to the ongoing exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties in our occupied territories,” he said at the time. He also highlighted the property rights of refugees who had been displaced following the 1974 Turkish invasion, arguing that an illegal real estate system had developed in the absence of the lawful owners. “For nearly 51 years, Greek Cypriot refugees have been deprived of their property rights, bearing the tragic consequences of the Turkish invasion and occupation,” Kineyirou said. He further alleged that foreign estate agents were promoting properties in the north to potential buyers from their own countries, while illegal developments on Greek Cypriot land had reached considerable proportions. The council president had also said it had identified evidence suggesting links between estate agencies operating legally in the Republic-controlled areas and illegal offices active in the occupied north. Skek said it fully respected press freedom and journalistic investigation, but argued that these “must be accompanied by objective, balanced and up-to-date reporting”. The association stressed that it supported the investigation of every substantiated complaint and the enforcement of legislation, while insisting that the presumption of innocence and the professional reputation of businesses must also be respected. It said the public had a right to receive complete and objective information, including the outcome of investigations into allegations that had previously attracted widespread attention. “Restoring the truth is a matter of journalistic ethics, institutional responsibility and respect for society,” the association said. The association’s intervention seeks to shift attention towards the official conclusion of the criminal investigation, while maintaining that allegations concerning the exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas remain an issue requiring appropriate scrutiny. Relatedly, the Cyprus Real Estate Agents Association (CREAA) said on Tuesday that criminal investigations into allegations of illegal activity by estate agents involving Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied north had found no evidence warranting prosecution. In a press release, the association also referenced the complaint made public in May 2025, “creating serious negative impressions against specific businesses and the whole real estate sector”.