Nicosia, Cyprus. The daughter of a man missing since the 1974 Turkish invasion has called for legal reform after facing a prolonged process to settle her late mother’s estate.
Alkistis Varnava said she was required to seek a legal declaration that her father, Varnava Varnava, was missing before inheritance proceedings could continue.
Inheritance proceedings
Speaking to Politis radio, Varnava said she began legal action after learning that, under current legislation, her father was still considered an heir to her mother’s estate.
As her parents’ only child, she said she had no alternative if the inheritance process was to proceed.
Varnava later obtained a court order recognising her as her mother’s sole heir, but said the process has continued to face delays.
Call for legal changes
Varnava criticised legislation introduced in 2003, saying it treats people missing since the 1974 invasion in the same way as other missing persons.
She said the requirement creates an additional burden for families affected by decades of trauma.
“It is not easy to declare a person who fought and sacrificed for his homeland missing,” she said.
Family’s belief
Varnava said her family believes her father is buried near the Praxandros stadium in Kyrenia, in an area now within a Turkish military zone.
She said the location has made efforts to exhume his remains extremely difficult.
