Lefkoniko: The Cypriot Police has issued international arrest warrants against four Turkish businessmen related to the usurpation of Greek Cypriot land in Turkish-occupied Lefkoniko, its Mayor, Pieris Gypsiotis, told CNA.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Municipality and Mayor Gypsiotis personally gathered evidence of land usurpation in Lefkoniko. A substantial project has been built on various plots within Lefkoniko, consisting of 10 floors and 750 apartments. This project is the first of its kind and is advertised for completion in the coming months, with signs indicating new projects outside Lefkoniko as well.
Gypsiotis reported the case to the CID Nicosia, where he submitted all the gathered evidence. The evidence indicates that the involved companies are Turkish. Gypsiotis identified the owners of these companies, submitted their names, and consequently, four international arrest warrants were issued against four Turkish individuals. These actions were initiated four months ago.
Given the gravity of the situation, a symposium was held last Saturday with the participation of the Greek Cypriot negotiator and legal experts. During the symposium, issues concerning land usurpation in Turkish-occupied areas were presented and analyzed. The symposium highlighted practical issues regarding refugee rights, land encroachments, and property rights, drawing significant interest from the refugee community.
Mayor Gypsiotis expressed satisfaction over a recent decision against two Hungarian nationals, which serves as a deterrent and underscores the seriousness of the complaints. While the Cyprus problem cannot be solved single-handedly, the decision instills fear among investors, buyers, and intermediaries over these issues. He also mentioned that the Turkish citizens in question would be arrested and extradited to Cyprus if they travel within the EU, as the arrest warrants were issued by the courts of the Republic of Cyprus.
Recently, two Hungarian women were sentenced to prison for 2.5 years and 15 months, respectively, after pleading guilty to charges related to advertising and promoting the sale of homes built on Greek Cypriot land in Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus.
Since the Turkish invasion in 1974, a significant portion of the Republic of Cyprus has been under Turkish occupation. This occupation limits the Republic’s ability to exercise effective control over all its territory but does not negate the sovereign rights the Republic retains over the entirety of the country. Cyprus has remained divided since 1974, and repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have yet to yield resolutions.