It has been alleged that some Greek Cypriots, who own immovable properties in Dipkarpaz but do not reside there permanently, had made false statements regarding their immovable properties and gained unfair profits by the Greek Cypriots living in the same area, Kibris Postasi reports.
The Greek Cypriot government provides monthly allowances ranging from 371 to 575 Euros to Greek Cypriots residing and farming in Dipkarpaz, with additional funds for those engaged in agriculture.
An article in Greek Cypriot daily ‘Alithia’ titled “Confusion in the Immovable Properties in Rizokarpaso”, reported allegations that some Greek Cypriots in Dipkarpaz were renting out properties under false pretences to gain unfair advantages. This was allegedly done by falsely claiming to rent properties owned by fellow villagers who now reside in Southern Cyprus.
In 2013, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) authorities decided to allow Greek Cypriots to inherit real estate in Dipkarpaz if their parents died after 2008, aiming to prevent them from appealing to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Consequently, many Greek Cypriots living in the TRNC were able to inherit property, and the TRNC authorities issued them title deeds. Currently, 246 Greek Cypriots reside in the village.
Despite being recognised as the legal owners of these properties by the Republic of Cyprus, Greek Cypriots living in Southern Cyprus cannot benefit from the allowances provided to those residing in Dipkarpaz. Some allegedly claim to rent fields in Dipkarpaz to receive these funds unfairly, while the true owners’ attempts to address this have been unsuccessful.
The newspaper highlighted that many Greek Cypriots in Dipkarpaz engage in agriculture because the TRNC authorities do not permit them to work in other sectors.
Regarding legislative measures, the article mentioned that Greek Cypriots originating from Dipkarpaz are demanding an official list of those stranded since 1974, similar to the list of missing persons and captives. A draft law proposing this is pending in the Greek Parliament. They also want Greek Cypriots whose parents died after 2008 to be included on a separate list, allowing them to visit Dipkarpaz periodically for field maintenance and to benefit from Greek government allowances.
The article further claimed that Evkaf, a religious foundation, has owned the “Afendrika” region in Dipkarpaz since the 1800s, renting lands to both Turkish and Greek Cypriot residents. Allegations were made that Evkaf seized these lands, leading to conflicting rental claims by Greek Cypriots to the Greek Cypriot government. The government usually resolves these conflicts by having one party withdraw their petition to reach an agreement.
