A regular session of the Cypriot parliament was held recently.
The main topic of discussion was the issue of illegal renting of properties owned by Turkish Cypriots in the Mackenzie Beach area of Larnaca.
As it turned out, instead of providing accommodation for the needy, the properties are being exploited by private companies who are making good profits without paying a cent to the state coffers in fees. The MEPs noted that these properties are currently under the administration and responsibility of the Guardian of Turkish Cypriot Properties, established under the Ministry of Interior, until a solution to the Cyprus problem is found. However, proper control has not yet been established. In practice, Turkish Cypriot properties in the Mackenzie Beach area are rented out to businesses and tourists.
It should be recalled that after the Turkish occupation of the northern part of Cyprus in 1974, the properties of the Turkish Cypriots in the south of the island were taken over by the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Cyprus.
As the Greek Cypriot refugees needed accommodation, the government decided to rent to them the houses and apartments of the Turkish Cypriots who had left in 1974. They were charged a small fee for the rent. One of the conditions was the obligation to return the property to its rightful owners, the Turkish Cypriots, if necessary.
In 1991, a special service was set up to manage Turkish Cypriot properties, the Guardian of Turkish Cypriot Properties. Since its inception, a number of irregularities have been uncovered in the process of renting out such accommodation. In particular, many tenants sublet the properties allocated to them, which is strictly prohibited. They did not declare the money they received from subletting to the Department of Taxes and Levies, and consequently did not pay taxes on it. This went on for at least ten years.
The irregularities found are evidence of the ineffective management of the Mackenzie district. No contracts signed, no income, no initiatives taken. Only the loss of millions of euros,' said Nikos Kettiros, chairman of the House Committee on Refugees.
The Cypriot interior ministry has again said it will clean up properties owned by Turkish Cypriots near the popular Mackenzie beach in Larnaca, where tenants have been paying minimal fees for years and still managing to make a profit.
Earlier inspections uncovered 17 properties being rented out for the ridiculously low sum of €500 each. Of these, 11 properties were sublet by tenants for €4,000. The authority stressed that it intends to terminate the contracts with the offenders. In order to put an end to illegal activities in the coastal area, the Larnaca municipality has declared its intention to take control of the area and rent out the buildings according to modern financial criteria.