Home sweet home?

HERE we go with yet another illthought-out plan guaranteed to cause stress and disruption. Why the hell should holders of “exchange” title deeds be required to pay extra tax to appease the Greek Cypriots?

For nearly 35 years, since the creation of the TRNC, government after government, backed by the Turkish state, has assured exchange, or “eşdeğer”, owners that their deeds are valid and their property rights will be protected.

Admittedly the concept of “exchange” is a rather fluid one. It would imply the mutual agreement of two sides, which plainly never occurred. Here the Turkish authorities rely heavily on the 1975 Exchange of Population. Although it took place under the supervision of the UN, it was never a formal partition of the island.

But in the chaos of the time, homes and property were allocated to Turkish Cypriots fleeing the South on the basis on what they had left behind. Over the years this continued with a system of points that could be swapped for empty properties. (There are plenty of Greek Cypriots who have obtained former Turkish Cypriot property over there also.)

Now those new owners — and it will be the majority of people living here, both Turkish Cypriot and others — are being told they could face a 15 per cent tax bill. Fifteen per cent of what I am not sure, presumably the current value.

It’s all because the Immovable Property Commission is running out of money. The IPC was set up by Turkey and the TRNC in the wake of the Orams case as a “local means” of settling property claims by former Greek Cypriot owners. It has had some success, paying out £270 million since 2006, and it is accepted by the European Court of Human Rights.

But as the prospect of any reunification fades, Greek Cypriot claims are snowballing and the IPC is facing a cash crisis. The tax plan is the proposed solution. It comes from the IPC’s head, Ayfer Said Erkmen.

Mr Erkmen blithely declares that the value of exchange titles will double, even triple, after BEING head of state, you have to shake hands with many people. The precarious nature of the TRNC means that President Mustafa Akıncı is not in a strong position to refuse any world figure.

Doubtless the United Nations