TRNC Authorities to Take Countermeasures Against Arrests of Investors in Cyprus

Authorities in Northern Cyprus have convened a meeting to address the recent arrests of investors by the Republic of Cyprus. These investors had purchased land in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, focused on potential countermeasures in response to actions taken by the Greek Cypriot administration.

The meeting was attended by several key figures, including the Minister of Tourism, Environment, and Culture, Fikri Ataoğlu; the Minister of the Interior, Dursun Oğuz; the President of the Turkish Cypriot Building Contractors Association, Cafer Gürcafer; and a number of major investors, lawyers, and officials.

Discussions at the meeting centered around the legal and economic implications of these arrests. Participants evaluated the potential impact of the Greek Cypriot administration’s actions on the Turkish community in Northern Cyprus. The group also discussed possible countermeasures that the TRNC could implement against actions described as “incompatible with the Greek side’s good faith.”

Prime Minister Üstel stated, “The actions taken by the Greek Cypriot administration against the TRNC are aimed at persecuting the Turkish Cypriot people, and this issue is a top priority for our government.” He further emphasized that the authorities “will take all necessary steps to protect the rights of TRNC property owners in this matter.”

There have been several incidents where property owners in the TRNC and real estate agents working in the northern part of the island have been detained and arrested in the Republic of Cyprus. Most of these individuals were detained at airports in the south while attempting to travel to third countries, primarily in the European Union. They were charged with “usurpation of Greek Cypriot property” located in the TRNC. The most recent incident occurred in mid-August, involving an Israeli citizen who was later released on bail.

Earlier, an appeals court denied bail to a 49-year-old German citizen accused of selling Greek Cypriot property in the TRNC. An arrest warrant was also issued for another German citizen residing in the TRNC.