Yet another case involving Turkish Cypriot property is being referred to the legal department to secure eviction orders and reclaim the property. The property in question, which spans over 13,000 square meters, was granted in 1999 for agricultural purposes and was subsequently converted into a business. The property houses a venue where parties, events, weddings, and baptisms are held without the required permits and the Guardian’s approval.

From a snack bar to… major expansion

According to information obtained by Alpha, in 2021, following a request by the tenant, permission was granted to change the use of part of the lot—specifically 100 square meters—for the construction of a prefabricated snack bar. In 2024, the beneficiary applied for a change of use for an area of 1,000 square meters to establish a snack bar.

While the request was under review, on-site inspections conducted throughout Cyprus revealed that structures had been erected illegally and the area had been converted into an open-air event venue. In April 2025, the Turkish Cypriot Properties Management Service sent a warning letter to the tenant of the plot demanding that the property be brought back into compliance with the law, which was also forwarded to the Larnaca District Planning Office for action.

“In the meantime, she had developed the property without having received prior approval from the guardian, while the request was still under review. Inspections revealed that he had committed these violations and was using the property illegally.” ^{Anthi Lakotrypi, Director of Turkish Cypriot Property Management}

Last March, the request for the allocation of additional space and a change of use was rejected by the Service, after taking into account the new legal framework, the illegal structures, and the negative preliminary opinions submitted by the Larnaca EOA.

“Subsequently, the EOA reviewed the request for the issuance of permits and also rejected it. In early May, we terminated the lease agreement in question. Of course, we had given the tenant the necessary notices to restore compliance with the law.” ^{Anthi Lakkotrypi, Director of Turkish Cypriot Property Management}

Through a letter from her attorney, the applicant requested a review of the Trustee’s decision, to which the agency responded that the lease had been terminated and that the necessary measures were now being taken to reclaim the property.

As part of the audits of commercial lease agreements, 4,032 were reviewed across Cyprus. Violations were identified in 512 cases, 79 properties were reclaimed, and legal action is being taken in 130 cases.

Among these is the case of the open-air event venue.

Watch the report by Nasia Ioannou