A solution has been found to the dispute surrounding the lease of the Hambis Printmaking School and Museum in Plataniskia, according to Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou.
Speaking on Politis radio's Morning Briefing programme on Friday, Ioannou said he and the Turkish Cypriot Properties Management Service had been in contact with the family of printmaker Hambis Tsangaris, adding that an agreement is expected to be announced in the coming days.
“When there is willingness, a solution can be found,” the minister said.
He added that Tsangaris' family had already been informed and was satisfied with the outcome.
Lease transfer not permitted under current law
Addressing Tsangaris' request to transfer the lease of the premises to the non-profit organisation School and Museum of Printmaking Hambis, Ioannou said current legislation does not allow Turkish Cypriot properties to be allocated to an organisation that does not have refugee status and has no shareholders.
He explained that following changes to the legal framework, neither the Interior Minister nor the Turkish Cypriot Properties Management Service has discretionary powers in such cases.
According to Ioannou, allocations must now be made according to principles of transparency and equal treatment.
He said approving the request in the form it was submitted would have required a breach of the law.
However, he stated that an alternative solution had been found, although he declined to provide details before a formal announcement.
Minister acknowledges Tsangaris' contribution
Ioannou praised Tsangaris' contribution, saying the artist had devoted significant time and personal financial resources to transforming a derelict property into a printmaking museum.
At the same time, he noted that the Turkish Cypriot Properties Management Service had also invested substantial sums in maintaining the premises, particularly since 2023.
He added that such repairs are not normally carried out for the hundreds of commercial properties managed by the service.
Background to the dispute
The issue came to public attention after Tsangaris announced on 7 October that he intended to demolish the facilities housing the school and museum following the rejection of his request to transfer the lease to the non-profit organisation.
The artist argued that the original application had been submitted before the relevant legislation was amended and criticised delays in its examination.
On 8 October, the Turkish Cypriot Properties Management Service said Tsangaris had never been asked to vacate the premises and that the existing lease agreements remained in force.
However, it did not specify how the long-term future of the school and museum would be secured.
