**Missing Man’s Daughter Calls for Legal Reform Over Inheritance Ordeal**
The daughter of a man who has been missing since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 is advocating for legal reform after experiencing a challenging bureaucratic process in settling her late mother’s estate. Alkistis Varnava, whose father, Varnava Varnava, disappeared during the conflict, has expressed frustration over the legal hurdles she has faced, particularly the requirement to have her father declared a legally missing person to proceed with inheritance matters.
In an interview with Politis radio, Varnava revealed that her family believes her father is buried near the Praxandros stadium in Kyrenia, an area that is now within a Turkish military zone, complicating any potential exhumation efforts. Following her mother’s passing, Varnava discovered that, under current legislation, her father was still considered an heir to her mother’s estate, which prompted her to initiate legal proceedings.
“When I found out, I was really shocked,” Varnava stated. As the only child of her parents, she felt she had no alternative but to pursue the legal path to move forward with the inheritance process.
Varnava criticized the legislation enacted in 2003, which she argues treats individuals missing since the 1974 invasion the same as any other missing person. She emphasized that this requirement adds an unnecessary burden on families who have endured decades of trauma. “It is not easy to declare a person who fought and sacrificed for his homeland missing,” she remarked, adding that it is deeply offensive to categorize those missing since the invasion in the same manner as other missing persons.
Despite eventually obtaining a court order that recognized her as her mother’s sole heir, Varnava reported that the process has been plagued by delays. She noted that the land registry requested additional legal opinions before proceeding with her case, leading to the file being transferred between various agencies, including the Paphos land registry, central offices in Nicosia, and the legal service in Limassol.
“Basically, the file is transferred from agency to agency until someone decides whether I am indeed my mother’s sole heir,” Varnava explained. She expressed concern that the case has remained unresolved for approximately two months, during which time she and her legal representatives have not received formal updates on the status of her file.
“The worst thing is that there was no official notification to me,” she said, highlighting the difficulties she faced in trying to ascertain the location of her file, which required repeated phone calls to determine its status.
Varnava believes that the unique circumstances surrounding the missing persons from 1974 should be addressed through dedicated legislation that reflects their specific situations, rather than applying the same legal provisions as those for other missing individuals. She clarified that she is not seeking preferential treatment but rather “a special arrangement” that acknowledges the challenges faced by families still searching for answers while navigating complex administrative procedures.
Her calls for reform resonate with many families who have been affected by the events of 1974, as they continue to seek justice and closure regarding their missing loved ones. Varnava’s experience underscores the need for a legal framework that is sensitive to the historical and emotional context of the situation, aiming to alleviate the burdens on those who have already suffered greatly.
As the bureaucratic struggle continues, Varnava remains hopeful that her advocacy will lead to meaningful changes in the legal system, allowing families like hers to find resolution and peace in the face of longstanding challenges.