News & Articles

THE BRITISH woman being sued by a Greek Cypriot refugee for building on his property in the occupied north yesterday said she recognised the Turkish Cypriot breakaway state and pleaded ignorance to the fact that the plaintiff had been forced out during the 1974 Turkish invasion.
Linda Elizabeth Orams, 58, appeared before a Nicosia court yesterday to fight a November 9 ruling that called for the demolition of the house she and her husband David, 60, had built on the orchard belonging to Meletis Apostolides from Lapithos. The ruling also called for Orams to pay Apstolides around £7,000 in damages.

The case is of paramount importance because Cyprus’ EU accession in May last year, allowed for court judgements in one member state to be carried out in another.

In this case a British court could move against the Orams’ home in Hove, East Sussex.
Orams was questioned yesterday by the plaintiff’s lawyer Constantis Candounas over a sworn statement she made concerning the case.

Orams, a portly woman with vibrant fuchsia-coloured hair, wore a light green tartan jacket as she took the witness stand in the small courtroom filled mostly with reporters.

Candounas focused on the fact that the breakaway state was not recognised by anyone apart from Turkey and property seized from Greek Cypriot refugees by force could not be legally sold:
“You refer to Tympou, or Ercan, as a state airport. Which state is Ercan the state airport of?” Candounas asked.

Orams: “Northern Cyprus.”

“And apart from you, who else recognises northern Cyprus? Does Britain recognise the state you refer to?” Candounas said.

Orams said she did see how that was relevant.

Candounas asked whether she had the title deeds to the property, which were promptly presented by her lawyer, Gunes Mentes.

Orams said the documents had been issued by the land office in the north, prompting Candounas to inquire, which country the land office belonged to.

“Considering that this state is not recognised by anyone, how can you say that Hassan (the man who sold the Orams the property) was the registered owner.

“Registered by whom?” Candounas asked.

Orams said: “Turkey recognises it, I recognise the Turkish republic of northern Cyprus and Hassan had the necessary titles.”

“And because you and Turkey recognise it, do you have the right to buy the property of a third party?” Candounas said.

Orams insisted that they had bought the land from a Turkish Cypriot in accordance with the rules and regulations in the north.

The court heard that Apostolides’ property had been handed over to a Turkish Cypriot man for 169,620 points. Points were allocated to Turkish Cypriots property owners in proportion to the land they had in the south before 1974.

Orams said they bought the property in good faith and everything was done “according to the rules”.

Candounas showed no mercy when grilling Orams over a point in her affidavit where she said Apostolides benefited from the provisions of the law on the administration of Turkish Cypriot properties.

“What benefits are you referring to? How did he benefit?”

Orams went on to tell the court her version of the 1974 events.

“As we understood, because Turkish and Greek Cypriot people could not get along together, the country was divided and all Greek Cypriots living in the north were moved to the south and Turkish Cypriots went north,” she said.

She added: “This meant that people of both nationalities had to leave their land.”
Orams said that in the north, Turkish Cypriots were awarded points that represented the size or value of the land they left behind.

“And the Apostolides family must have been given land of equal value in the south,” Orams said.
Candounas said: “Thanks for the history lesson.”

At his point he was told by the judge to refrain from making any comments.

The plaintiff’s lawyer however insisted that Orams should indicate the benefits his client had gained, as it was said in the affidavit.

“At the time everything was done fairly, so the Apostolides family must have been given land,” Orams said.

Candounas assured her that his client’s home was purchased by him and did not belong to any Turkish Cypriot.

After that he asked Orams to indicate, as stated in her affidavit, which of Apostolides’ claims were unfounded and false.

“Indicate just one sentence that is a lie,” he said.

Orams repeated that they had bought the house in good faith and in accordance with the regulations of the breakaway state.

“I never heard of Apostolides until he came in September to seek us out,” she said.
“Please indicate one sentence that is baseless,” Candounas said.

“Apostolides claims we acquired the land illegally; I deny this. We followed all rules and regulations and laws of TRNC.

“We love Cyprus and we want to live here,” she said.

Asked whether her husband had seen the court summons, Orams said he had not.
To this Candounas presented a letter published in the Sunday Mail and written by her husband asking, among other things, for a fair hearing.

The court adjourned until January 21, where the two sides would present their closing arguments.
Orams signed a £1,000 bail that she would appear before the court in the next hearing.
 

Click here to go to article >>>

By Mary Antonescu