Erhürman says lawsuits cannot resolve Cyprus property issue

Politics Cyprus problemTop NewsTufan Erhurman Erhürman says lawsuits cannot resolve Cyprus property issue Erhürman Says Lawsuits Cannot Resolve Cyprus Property Issue Relevant News Erhürman says lawsuits cannot resolve Cyprus property issue 6 July 2026 Police near end of probe into officer’s attempted murder of partner; victim critical but stable 6 July 2026 Dive into culture with Xylophagou Fish Festival 6 July 2026 Newsroom 6 July 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman said the property issue cannot be resolved through lawsuits, in reaction to the arrest of a Lithuanian estate agent in France under a European Arrest Warrant issued by the Republic of Cyprus and a French court’s decision to extradite her to Cyprus. According to reports from the occupied north, Erhürman said in a social media post that the Greek Cypriot leadership, as referred to by the Republic of Cyprus government, continues its efforts to turn legal matters concerning property into a political tool. The property issue cannot be resolved “through lawsuits filed by Greek Cypriots against Turkish Cypriots or vice versa,” he said, adding that this is because the issue forms part of the political problem, which he said is also evident from the scope of the negotiations. Erhürman also referred to the establishment of the “immovable property committee,” for the restitution, exchange and compensation of properties, saying the Greek Cypriot side has not taken such steps and instead uses legal means as a lever of pressure. He expressed the Turkish Cypriot side’s support for the UN Secretary-General’s efforts, saying the Turkish Cypriot side would move forward “at speed with our multifaceted preparations regarding the property issue, amid the continuing absence of a solution.” A statement by the pseudo-state’s “foreign ministry” referred to the background of the Lithuanian estate agent’s arrest and the decision to extradite her to the Republic of Cyprus authorities. According to the “foreign ministry,” the Republic of Cyprus is seeking to create facts on the ground through unilateral actions that shape a new reality aimed at achieving outcomes in its favour. Property-related activities are carried out in accordance with the pseudo-state’s current “legislation,” the statement said, while it claimed the Republic of Cyprus is exploiting “the issue to serve its political expediencies, directly targeting individuals and abusing the mechanisms of the European Arrest Warrant and Interpol.” Despite the existence of the “immovable property committee,” the fact that property disputes are treated as criminal law matters, and that the European Arrest Warrant and Interpol mechanisms are used for this purpose, proves once again that the priority of the “Greek Cypriot administration” is not to find a legal solution to the property issue but to turn it into a tool of political and economic pressure, the statement said, adding that this approach directly threatens legal certainty, economic stability, the investment climate and the prosperity of the pseudo-state. Separately, Republican Turkish Party leader Sıla Uşar İncirli said in a social media post that the property issue is one of the fundamental issues of the Cyprus problem and an integral part of negotiations for an overall settlement. “The perception that a political issue can be resolved through individual arrests and lawsuits is neither realistic, nor fair, nor correct,” she said. İncirli also said the Republic of Cyprus’s insistence on referring property matters to criminal courts, “abusing the European Arrest Warrant, not only fails to serve the goal of the administration of justice, but also turns the law into a weapon and a tool for achieving political objectives.” (information from CNA) Read more: Ankara demands EU concessions before discussing Cyprus issue substance Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Police near end of probe into officer’s attempted murder of partner; victim critical but stable Dive into culture with Xylophagou Fish Festival State funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Commercial flights mix with Greek F-16 sorties in Paphos sky (videos) Thousands evacuated from homes in southwest France as wildfire burns Things to do on Monday, July 6 TV problems persist after switchover? Here’s how to fix them Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.