The usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties in the north cannot be tolerated, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said, following the five-year prison sentence imposed on Friday by the Nicosia Assize Court on businessman Simon Mistriel Aykut, after pleading guilty to 40 charges relating to the illegal use and exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties in the north.
In a written statement, Letymbiotis notes that the usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties in the north “is neither dealt with passivity, nor with tolerance”, adding that in a well-governed and organised state that faces the painful reality of the Turkish occupation, there is a duty of highlighting the magnitude of the illegality. He added that the implementation of the law and the protection of the national interest were imperative.
He also said that the Assize Court’s unanimous decision to impose a five-year prison sentence, after the accused pleaded guilty to offences related to property usurpation, “highlights the seriousness of this crime”.
At the same time, he added, the ruling sends a strong message about the consequences for those who attempt to engage in, or are already involved in such transactions and the related international chain of usurpation.