CYPRUS: Orams sell abandoned luxury villa to Turkish Cypriot authorities

A villa built on Greek Cypriot land in the occupied north by a British couple should still be demolished under a court ruling despite the property being sold to Turkish Cypriot authorities.

The court decision against British couple David and Linda Orams is still valid, Constantis Candounas the lawyer for the Greek Cypriot owner told CNA.

The property, in Turkish-occupied Lapithos, belongs to Greek Cypriot refugee Meletis Apostolides.

Reportedly, the Orams sold their abandoned luxury villa property for £160,000 to the Turkish Cypriot authorities.

Turkish Cypriot weekly Cyprus Today said the residence will be converted for social or charitable use, possibly as an orphanage or a home for elderly people.

It said the Orams – who were compelled to vacate the property nine years ago – flew to the breakaway north earlier this year “to sign the necessary paperwork and to be compensated for their investments”.

Candounas it is was up to Apostolides to explore his options concerning various legal paths.

Apostolides said the move was a way of encouraging potential real estate buyers in the north.

He told CNA he has not decided if there is room for any new legal action against the Orams.

In 2004 the Nicosia District Court ordered the Orams to demolish the house that was erected on the property of Apostolides in Lapithos, grant free possession of the land and pay damages.

Apostolides then sought to enforce the decision in a British court, as the Cypriot court judgement was not directly enforceable in the north.

After the UK’s High Court of Justice ruled in favour of the Orams, Apostolides turned to the Court of Appeal, which referred the case to the European Court of Justice.

The ECJ ruled in favour of Apostolides, noting that Cyprus judgments can be registered and enforced in the UK and any other EU country against assets of the defendants in that state.

The landmark case returned to the Court of Appeal which in January 2010 unanimously upheld the ruling of the ECJ.