Paphos, Cyprus. An investigation into the Paphos municipality’s use of Turkish Cypriot property is expected to be completed within the next two weeks, according to reports on Friday.
Findings expected by March 25
The Cyprus News Agency reported that the Turkish Cypriot property management service will submit its findings to Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou by March 25, after examining 110 contracts signed by the Paphos municipality for the use of Turkish Cypriot property.
It was earlier reported that in the “vast majority” of cases examined so far, “no irregularities appear to have arisen”, with the exception of “unilateral differentiation from the purpose of use”.
Reported deviations from approved use
Reports said that in some instances the interior ministry may have approved the lease of a property for use as a green space, but the space may have ended up being used as a car park.
At present, “four or five” cases reportedly remain under investigation after complaints were made to the interior ministry.
Cases involving displaced persons and municipal assignments
Those cases reportedly concern situations in which displaced persons had applied to rent property, but the use was eventually assigned to the municipality instead.
Attorney-general examining separate file
The reports follow earlier reporting that attorney-general George Savvides was examining a file containing information regarding the illegal handling of abandoned Turkish Cypriot property involving Phedonas Phedonos, who was suspended from his duties as Paphos mayor last month.
It was alleged that Phedonos illegally sublet Turkish Cypriot property in Moutallos, an old Turkish Cypriot neighbourhood near the centre of Paphos, for commercial use.
Allegations against suspended mayor
Phedonos was suspended after Paphos-based land developer Theodoros Aristodemou of Aristo Developers accused him of rape, saying the incident occurred around ten years ago, and later gave a statement to police.
He was later accused of domestic abuse, with social media personality Ioanna Photiou, known by her alias Annie Alexui, claiming to hold documents related to admissions of Phedonos’ wife Louiza Andreou to the Nicosia general hospital in 2017, which stated that she had been “beaten” by Phedonos.
What do you think the investigation’s findings could mean for how Turkish Cypriot property is allocated and used?
