Tour operator company Corendon has been prevented from taking over the management of Jasmine Court Hotel in Kyrenia, and has consequently decided to pull its operations out of North Cyprus.
‘Kibris Gazetesi’ writes that the hotel was was rented to the company by a Turkish family called Topal.
According to the paper, the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) which is also one of the legal owners of the Jasmine Court, filed a lawsuit against the Immovable Property Commission (IPC) demanding either compensation or the return of the management of the hotel. The case is still in progress, writes the paper.
Speaking to the paper about the issue, the Turkish Cypriot lawyer representing the RBS Sinan Semiler said: “According to the TRNC’s laws, renting the Jasmine Court hotel to a company or to another person whilst the hotel was owned by the Topal family, is not possible. This is the reason why Corendon is leaving the island”.
Semiler stated further that the owners of the hotel prior to 1974 were Cypriots of Armenian origin and with the RBS, applied to the IPC for either compensation or the return of the hotel.
Meanwhile, the paper reports also on statements by the Minister of Economy, Tourism, Youth and Sports Mentes Gunduz who said, inter alia, that Corendon’s decision to suspend its operation in the TRNC is a very disappointing development which negatively impacts on related businesses in the country.
Gunduz added that he has sent the issue to the assembly in order to be discussed immediately and added that he had also informed Prime Minister Ozkan Yorgancioglu, Minister of finance Zeren Mungan and former minister Serdar Denktas.
Stressing the need for steps to be taken in order to win back Corendon, Gunduz said that they will do all that is necessary. He explained that he has already undertaken the initiative in order to meet with Corendon’s officials and exchange views about the problems occurred. “Winning back the company which has brought tourists to the country and promoted our country abroad several times in the past, is paramount”, Gunduz added.
Kibris Gazetesi
