Rent as high as €13,000-€14,000 per month was requested by property managers of establishments on Mackenzie beach even though they were paying nothing to the Municipality of Larnaca or the state in general.
These properties belong to Turkish Cypriots who live in the divided island’s breakaway north since the 1974 Turkish invasion and are managed by displaced Greek Cypriots until a Cyprus settlement is reached.
However, the House Refugee Committee is trying to put an order since cases of favouritism by the custodian – that is the state – and scandalous behaviour has been recorded.
Such as the case of rent, which ranged between €150,000-€170,000 per year plus goodwill – being demanded.
Right now, the Custodian of Turkish Cypriot Properties, that is, the Minister of Interior and the Turkish Cypriot Property Management Service are trying to put some order.
And new procedures will be introduced by early summer following the completion of the Legal Service’s study on the issue. This will follow the signing of new proposed contracts.
The state currently subsidizes the custodian of Turkish Cypriot properties to the tune of €8m a year.
