If you are just a visitor to North Cyprus, there is no need for you to apply for a North Cyprus driving licence. Generally, visitors to the North Cyprus can drive in the North Cyprus using a valid driving licence issued by their country of residence for the duration of the period for which they are entitled, under the North Cyprus immigration laws, to remain in the TRNC as a visitor. Usually, this period is three months. The stamp which you receive in your passport when you arrive in the North Cyprus will state how long you are entitled to stay in the North Cyprus as a visitor without obtaining any type of permit to remain in the TRNC.

If you who wish to remain in the North Cyprus for a period which is longer than the period for which you are entitled to stay in the North Cyprus as a visitor, you must apply for the relevant immigration permit from the Immigration Office. This may be a residency permit, a work permit, a student permit or a business permit as appropriate. Once you have obtained the relevant immigration permit, you must immediately apply for a North Cyprus driving licence.

To obtain the North Cyprus driving licence, you will need to visit the North Cyprus Vehicle and Driving Licence Registration Office (Motorlu Araçlar ve Sürüş Ehliyeti Mukâyyitliği) which is located in Lefkosa and obtain form Tr 71. People who do not speak Turkish may require assistance in filling out this form. However, you will usually find that the staff at the Vehicle and Driving Licence Registration Office are very helpful and do speak some English. The form ask for basic details, including your name, nationality, address, date of birth, passport number, place of birth, occupation, father’s name and mother’s name. It also asks you to state the type of licence you require i.e. a full licence or provisional licence, the class of license you require and the duration you require – the choices are 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 5 years or 10 years. There are varying fees for the different durations of driving licence. Finally, you are asked to fill in a declaration asking whether you have ever been banned from driving, whether you have any illnesses which may affect your ability to drive and other similar legal questions.

You will need to submit the completed form Tr 71 together with 2 passport size photographs, your original driving licence together with Photocopy of both sides, your original passport (with the relevant immigration permit stamped inside) and a photocopy of your the relevant fee. Original documents will be returned to you immediately.

The Vehicle and Driving Licence Registration Office will issue you with a receipt and will advise when the driving licence will be ready for collection.

Prepare yourself to be pleasantly surprised – we were! Not only was it a painless experience, it took a lot less time than we were led to believe – 5 weeks from start to finish. Of course knowing what to do, and in particular what order to do them in, is crucial.

Perhaps we were just incredibly lucky.

But I rather feel that it can be put down to streamlining of procedures and the well known aphorism ‘practice makes perfect’.

You can stay in North Cyprus for 3 months without applying for residency, but if you overstay this period you are liable to be fined for each day you remain over this period. When you attempt to exit the country you will probably find yourself in the unsavoury position of being arrested and detained until the fine is paid. This could then, of course, jeopardise any future residency application.

You can also drive on your own country’s driving licence for 3 months. To apply for a North Cyprus driving licence you will need to have your residency permit (or work permit if you are working here).

Before you can start this process, you need to be in a long-term residence as you will require proof of where you will be living.

It will take around 4 working days (or half days) to accomplish. If you do not have this time available of do not have the inclination to apply for residency yourself, there are agencies that offer to carry out this procedure on your behalf for a fee.

To simplify things for you, following is a check list with tick box to ensure you have everything you require for your residency and driving licence:

• 2 x photocopies of your rental/purchase document (usually just the first page showing your name, date of occupancy, rental period and address).
• 4 x photocopies of your passport (the page showing your photo and details).
• 1 x photocopy of your bank statements (to prove you can financially support yourselves, so be sure to take copies of any savings accounts you might have as well).
• 1 x photocopy of your driving licence (both parts).
• 4 x passport photographs of yourself. (You can get these taken and processed at most photography shops).
• A 6ytl stamp and a 4ytl stamp for each person.

It is always worth taking a couple of extra copies of all your documents in case of loss or damage.

Residency

The steps below are the process that we had to go through when applying for residency whilst in Kar iyaka. However, if you are resident in a larger town the start of the process might be slightly different, such as the letter from the Muhtar (Mayor/town Chief). If you pop into your main police station immigration office and inform them where you are living, they should be able to tell you if a letter from the Muhtar or from such an office as the Belediye (municipality/council) is required.

There are then a number of steps to follow, which must be done in the right order, and there are expenditures involved. I hope you find the following step-by-step account useful.

• Step one: You will need a letter from your local Muhtar confirming you are resident in his ‘district’. Asking in your village shop for the Muhtar is a good start as the shop owner usually knows everyone in the village and can point you in the Muhtar’s direction. The Muhtar will need a copy of your passport and purchase/rental agreement. We paid 85ytl when we collected our letters. We were given an official receipt for this amount.
• Step two: Take your Muhtar letter to the main police station that covers your district (Girne, Famagusta, Lefkosa etc). The immigration officer at the station will ask for a copy of your passport, purchase/rental agreement, bank statements and two passport photos. He will then give you a receipt to take to a clinic for your health checks.
• Step three: Go to a clinic. Most towns have a private clinic that will carry out the chest x-ray and blood test required. You need to give them the receipt from the police immigration officer and a copy of your passport. If you attend a private clinic, you will need to pay for the tests to be done (we paid 250ytl each and were told to collect the results in 7 days). You will be given a receipt to take back to the police station to prove that the tests had been carried out.
• Step four: Go back to the police immigration office and produced the receipt from the clinic and your passport. He will get out your file and attached the clinic receipt. He will •also take a photograph of you for his own files. You will then be asked for 6ytl stamps per person. The officer will fill out the necessary paperwork, bundled it up, give you a receipt and tell you when to go to the main immigration officer in Lefkosa for your residency (we were told one month). During that that time, a number of checks will be carried out.
• Step five: Go back to the clinic and collect your results. These will be presented to you in a sealed envelope – DO NOT OPEN THIS ENVELOPE! Your results must be given to the immigration office in Lefkosa when you go back to get your residency, and if you have opened them they will not be accepted and you will have to apply for the health checks again.
• Step six: Go to the immigration office in Lefkosa to get you residency. Remember to take your health results with you, also the receipt

Apostólos Andreas Monastery is situated just south of Cape Apostólos Andreas (Cape of Saint Andrew or Cape Zafer), which is the north-eastern most point of the island of Cyprus, in the Karpaz Peninsula. The monastery is one of the pilgrimage centres of the Cypriot Orthodox Church. It was once known as ‘the Lourdes of Cyprus’, served not by an organised community of monks, but by a changing group of volunteer priests and laymen.

An enormous modern plaza of pilgrims’ lodgings frames the slightly older monastery buildings that wrap around the central church. Below, the modern church steps lead down to a square, vaulted chapel, three baptismal basins fed by a sacred spring, and an old wharf. It was on this site that it was said St Andrew briefly landed in Cyprus on his final missionary journey back to his Palestinian homeland. His footfall revealed a spring whose waters miraculously healed the blind captain of his ship.

On the bust in the courtyard of the monastery is an inscription stating that the monastery was built by Ionnis Oicoromus. A fortified monastery stood here in the 12th century, from which Isaac Comnenus negotiated his surrender to Richard the Lionheart, though the chapel built in the 15th century is the oldest surviving building.

According to the Holy books, St Andrew was the brother of St Peter, who served John the Baptist and was the first of the apostles to be called to ministry by Jesus. His missionary areas had covered much of the medieval borderland of Byzantium, such as Macedonia and the Black Sea coast, with miraculous incidents set in Nicaea, Thessalonica and Ethiopia. Images of his martyrdom depict him as a white-bearded old man of 80, tied to an olive tree cross that stood by the sea shore at Patras in the Peloponnese.

Even during his crucifixion, he continued to preach for two days before he finally died. He is the patron saint of Greece, Russia and Scotland, a ‘protector of travellers and commander of winds’. His feast day is celebrated annually on 15 August and 30 November.

The monastery only became a popular sanctuary with the miracle of Maria Georgiou in 1895. It is said that seventeen years after the disappearance of her son, she received a dream in answer to her unceasing petitions to St Andrew, which instructed her to go from her native Cilicia (region in Turkey) to the neglected monastery of Apostólos Andreas. On the voyage to Cyprus, she explained her journey to fellow passengers and particularly excited the attention of a young man. He asked Maria how she would identify her lost son, so she told him of the peculiar pair of birthmarks that he bore on his shoulder and chest. The young man then threw off his woollen cloak to expose the same marks and fell on his knees before his mother. Within months of this event, the shrine received a stream of pilgrims, which increased into a flood as the Saint proved his power over a random tithe of supplicants, Greeks as well as Turks, sophisticated Athenians as well as local peasants.

Both the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities consider the monastery a Holy place. The United Nations declared the monastery a World Heritage site. As such, it is visited by many people for votive prayers.

Because of these reasons, the monastery attracts thousands of visitors every year from all over the world. The officials on duty at the monastery are willing to greet all visitors with a smiling face and welcome them in to the place of worship. And the officials are quite used to being photographed by the visitors to an extend whereby, it has become an everyday routine for these people. Nevertheless, the smiling face is ever present!

Another interesting aspect of the monastery is that people, while making a wish for something that they lack, light a candle in the shape of the thing, that they want. Let’s assume that a person who is making a wish wants to have a child. The candle that this person will light will be in the shape of a child. These wishes can range from a child to a house, or it could even be in the shape of bodily parts – for those who suffer from an ailment at such part of the body.

Furthermore, there are different beliefs for the fountain, positioned on the sea front of the monastery. There are people who make wishes while drinking water from this fountain or even, it is said, that if one were to take a bath using this water, it can cure several allergic diseases.

Surrounding the monastery, the local people are selling souvenirs of the monastery and also products of Cyprus. These products can vary from handicrafts, to nuts, to brass works, to hand-knitted carpets, tapestries and table cloths. The Karpaz peninsula is one of the most spectacular and unspoiled beauties of all island. The sea is incredibly blue and the peninsula has the most beautiful beaches in the entire Mediterranean, surrounded with pine forests and short bushes which are a signature plant for the region. It is very difficult not to be surrounded by mystical feelings while visiting the monastery and even after you have left the place and are enjoying the sun and the sea. It is really worth your time visiting and being able to breathe in some of cleanest air and smelling the most fragrant perfumes of the Mediterranean.

However, throughout many years of working experience in the fields, we have also come accross people who have complaints about these turtles. Mainly these compaints come from people who earn their living from the sea by fishing because turtles can tear apart the fishing nets. Nevertheless, this is not the case for Cyprus. Protection programmes for turtles are run on voluntary basis and the locals have adopted the turtles as a symbol for themselves to such an extend whereby some of the biggest firms in Cyprus, use sea turtles in their logos.

Sea turtles (Chelonioidea) are turtles found in all the world’s oceans with the exception of the Arctic Ocean, and some species travel between oceans. There are seven types of sea turtles: Kemp’s Ridley, Flatback, Green, Olive Ridley, Loggerhead, Hawksbill and the Leatherback. Only two of them, Green and Loggerhead are found around Cyprus and females visit beaches for nesting.

Different species are distinguished by varying anatomical aspects: for instance, the prefrontal scales on the head, the number of and shape of scutes dn the carapace, and the type of inframarginal scutes on the plastron.

The Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) is a large sea turtle. It grows to 1-1.5 m in length, and weighs an average of 200 kg, making it the largest of the hard-shelled turtles. The largest Green Sea Turtle ever recorded weighed 395 kg. Its distribution extends throughout tropical, subtropical and some warmer temperate waters. Females lay their eggs on traditional nesting beaches, but otherwise this species is entirely marine. The green sea turtle was so named because of the green color of its body fat. The adult turtle’s algae diet is responsible for the color in its tissues. The young are dark brown or olive above, the limbs are margined with yellow. They are yellow beneath, with a large dark brown spot on the hand and foot. The carapace of adults is olive or brown, spotted or marbled with yellowish coloration.

The Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) is a sea turtle and the only member of the genus Caretta. The genus name “Caretta” is a latinization of the French “caret”, meaning turtle, tortoise, or sea turtle. It is characterized by a large head with blunt jaws. It is also identifiable by the five scutes along the middle of the carapace. Adults grow to an average weight of about 100 kg, and can reach lm in length. The species feeds on mollusks, crustaceans, fish, and other marine animals, which they crush with their large and powerful jaw. As with other sea turtles, females return to lay their eggs on or near the same beach where they hatched. Unlike other sea turtles, courtship and mating usually do not take place near the nesting beach, but rather along the migration routes between feeding and breeding grounds.

In the mediterranean, Loggerheads mate from late March to early June. The female nesting season is at its peak in June and July, but this depends on the nesting beach. The clutch may vary from 100 to 126 eggs. Each egg is about the size and shape of a ping-pong ball. The average interval between nesting seasons is two to three years. Loggerheads live most of their life in openwater. They may spend time on the ocean floor. The shore waters are their main foraging habitat. Most loggerheads that reach adulthood live for longer than 30 years, and can often live past 50 years.

As a conclusion, we would like to remind the reader to follow the rules below in order to be able to protect these cute sweet creatures:

• Do not enter the nesting beaches between 20.00 – 08.00 hours during the breeding season (June – October)
• Do not light fires on the beach
• Block lights visible from the beach
• Do not throw plastic bags, bottles and other trash into the sea
• Do not dig the sand, poach eggs
• Do not set up umbrellas on the nesting zone
• Do not enter the nesting beach with vehicles and pets
• Do not pick up, disturb or move young sea turtles
• Do not use speed boats within 1 mile from the shore
• Do not leave your belongings on the beach at night

The Othello Tower used to be a fortress or citadel guarding both harbour and town. Above the gateway is a marble slab on which the badge of Venice is sculptured, a winged lion, so frequently seen in other parts of Cyprus such as Girne Castle, Nicosia, and Bellapais Abbey. But this is not what really attracts tourist’s locals, historians and literature lovers. They all want to discover the truth and reveal the mystery of that night when Othello in his jealousy killed his wife Desdemona and then killed himself. Let us first see if Othello and Desdemona were the real historical figures, or it was just a very rich Shakespeare’s imagination…

It is well known that Shakespeare borrowed the story from the Italian writer Cinthio; in his story the characters do not have names, the only named character is “Desdemona”, which means “unfortunate” in Greek. The base for the story was taken from the life of the General Christophore Moor who served in Cyprus and whose wife died under very unclear circumstances. After Moor retired he returned to Venetia. Though nobody knows exactly what happened to the General’s wife, the historians tend to think that Cinthio heard the story from the closest friends of the General, and that is why they assume that it was true.

In Shakespeare’s drama Othello is referred as moor, in other words being black by race. It happened either because of the confusion with his original name, which was Moor or the intentional art of Shakespeare’s writings, who wanted to shows the difference between the big African man and the small fragile blond woman.

Another mystery lies in the fact that Shakespeare has never been to Famagusta but the description of the place is so real that the historians cannot help thinking that he must have visited the Othello’s tower, but how and when…?

As all other places in Cyprus, Famagusta is the town full of questions which still need to be answered, and the story of Othello and Desdemona is just one of many unrevealed mysteries which attract thousands of people into this fascinating Island.

Ten thousand Britons own property in Turkey, a figure which has increased by over 200 per cent in the last two years, a growth unmatched by any other country. In total, 18 per cent of the foreign owners in Turkey are now British. In common with northern Cyprus, the figures have grown enormously in the past two years according to the magazine and website Property Mart Overseas.

The magazine says Britain, the US and the EU are willing to acknowledge the existence of two separate entities in Cyprus- so the north is no longer a no-go zone, but instead, a prime investment location.

In 2004 joint referenda were held on both sides of Cyprus to consider the United Nations’ (Annan) plan to end the island’s 30-year long division. The vote and the increased international interest led to a land and property frenzy in the north. From an average of 300 a year, the number of foreigners buying property shot up to 3,000 in 2004, and as we report elsewhere in this issue, the figure is now running at more than 7,000. These are individual cases and do not reflect the number of foreign companies buying large tracts of land for development., Land prices are accelerating but cannot be compared to similar plots in Spain, Portugal etc.

The British Residents’ Society estimates that there are now six thousand British people living permanently in north Cyprus, but that this figure is massively boosted in the summer months by “part-timers” who own holiday homes. The BRS also says that buyers are “getting much younger,” with far more requests about schooling and starting up new business than was the case a few years back.

The international property specialists, Amberlamb, say the amount of investment being ploughed into the country (TRNC) is incredible and the numbers of those looking to invest in properties in TRNC is at a time high.

Amberlamb says Greek Cypriots have built healthy tourism and property markets, but in Northern Cyprus embargoes and land dispute meant that the country was effectively unknown outside of Turkey until  Cyprus’s entry to the European Union in 2004. Furthermore, borders were opened for the unrestricted passage of Cypriots and those with EI passports and certain other nationalities such as Americans and Australians.

The people on both sides of the Line now hold the status of European citizens.

Investors are now turning their attentions to the development of tourism and recreational amenities, and slowly but surely the island is turning into an incredibly desirable resort says the Amberlamb website.

All properties being built in the TRNC have the guarantee of the government but until everything is resolved at international level, real estate prices are being artificially restricted and this makes North Cyprus affordable as well as desirable – a perfect combination for investors!

Would you like to own a residence in the midst of an environment  where history and nature lie hand in hand in the North of Cyprus, one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean ? Who wouldn’t ?

Live in North Cyprus?

It is inviting, enticing, tempting. It is easy as much. This beautiful country embraces many residents from different parts of the globe, mostly British. German population holds the second place in the foreign residents list that chose to live in the North Cyprus. Situated in the north-eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus is among the most suitable places in the world to lead a healthy and pleasant life, with its splendid climate, attractive geography and rich flora. Summers on this island are a season of sun and sea; the winters are warm and romantic. The colours of autumn remind us that summer has passed but the various hues entice us out into nature. In spring, the incredible beauty and scent of lemon, orange and grapefruit orchards welcome visitors to the island. There is the intoxicating scent of jasmine and roses, the colours and perfume of which pervade even the urban streets. The island of Cyprus is the third largest island of the Mediterranean. Turkish people live in the northern part and Greek people live in the southern part of the island. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus constitutes nearly one third of the surface of the island and has a population of approximately two hundred thousand people. The capital city of Northern Cyprus is Nicosia and some of the other important cities are Gazimagusa, Girne, Güzelyurt and Yeni İskele. The official language is Turkish, but English is also widely used. Of the two hundred thousand people in Northern Cyprus 99% are Muslim, the remainder are Orthodox Christian, Maronite or Catholic.

Every Season A Distinct Beauty

A Mediterranean climate prevails in Cyprus. Although summers are hot they are also temperate and green. Summer is the time for blue skies, sun, beaches and the warm sea, while winters are romantically cosy. This island has sunshine for 340 days of the year and is well endowed with beauty and natural riches. Cyprus is particularly beautiful in spring and autumn, which are the best seasons to visit the island. Let us not forget that spring starts in February in Cyprus and it is possible to swim and sunbathe in October. The splendid climate of the island makes Cyprus one of the most suitable places for a healthy and pleasant life. The people of Cyprus are hospitable.

Plants of 1001 Colours

The gorgeous and colourful natural surroundings and the beauty of the island emerge especially in autumn and spring. You feel an urge to reach out to the scented lemon, orange, grapefruit and peach trees. The island is very rich in terms of plant species. Besides the inviting characteristic plans of the Mediterranean, such as olive trees, wild carobs, butcher’s broom, Daphne trees, sandalwood, kermes oak, juniper, mastic tree and thorn apple; the flora also offers species including the charming scented sage, thyme, lavender, wild narcissus, wild tulips and catnip.

In Northern Cyprus there are dense forests on the Beşparmak Mountains, lying hand in hand with thousands years of history. You may take your time in weekends or in summer evenings to walk amidst these forests following the tracking paths which take you along natural beauties and historical findings, such as castles, old churches and monasteries. Besides historical and cultural riches, the riches of nature also abound in Cyprus.

Property purchasing procedure in North Cyprus

The steps you need to follow when buying from North Cyprus may seem complicated, but it definitely becomes simpler after reading this article about the title deeds, procedures and laws in the country. There is no independent register or index values for property and land in North Cyprus. However, certain things can be stated about property and land values. North Cyprus land remains at good value compared to other Mediterranean countries and also South Cyprus. Values have been increasing consistently for many years. Land and property prices vary from one location to another according to the type of title deed that applies. It is the value of the land that drives property prices and represents good value for many. It must be remembered that the quality and the extent of new villa and property specifications vary substantially. Two villas may be very similar in terms of size and location but may be very different in terms of construction quality, materials used and extras included. It is important to keep in mind that the cheapest construction may not be the best value. In order to purchase your freehold property the first thing you have to do is to select property that applies to your taste and agree on price. Then you need to contact a solicitor based in Northern Cyprus, to get the contract drawn up which will include price, timescale, payment terms and specification. As both vendor and purchaser sign the contract, then the purchaser provides deposit; the amount will vary from one property to another. Then the solicitor applies to Council of Ministers on your behalf for purchase permit; that is your permission to buy in Northern Cyprus. Following this, you may be required to pay the final balance. But remember, new build properties will be in stage payments spread over the duration of the construction. In most cases a 15% VAT will be levied on the property. Once purchase permit has been received vendor transfers the title into purchaser’s name. The purchaser pays 6% stamp duty and 1 % of the stamp duty charge is paid to the local Authority/Municipality. You have the right to be exempt from 3% of the duty on one purchase. Following the accomplishment of these steps, the sale is complete.

There are a number of leasehold properties in and around the Girne in Northern Cyprus and the process is very similar to purchasing a freehold; however an application is made to the Ministry of Tourism and not the Ministry of Interior. In order to purchase your leasehold property the first thing you have to do is to select property that applies to your taste and agree on price. Then you need to contact a solicitor based in Northern Cyprus, to get the contract drawn up agreeing terms and conditions. As both vendor and purchaser sign the contract, the vendor applies to Tourism Office to transfer lease. Then the purchaser applies to take over lease. Once the purchaser’s application is approved, a 10% deposit is transferred. On completion, remaining balance is paid to vendor and the lease is transferred. Following the accomplishment of these steps, the sale is complete.

Property Construction and Planning

There are certain constructions laws in North Cyprus that must be adhered to if you are planning to buy land and then build a property on it:

Outside the Municipal boundaries, there are restrictions on the area that one can build on in Northern Cyprus (20% of the land area), and a height restriction of two storeys. There are good architects and engineers who will plan and design your Northern Cyprus villa at reasonable rates. Once the plans have been lodged with the District Office, work may commence. Building costs vary, depending on finishing, from £250 per m2 upwards. Most buildings are constructed in the reinforced concrete frame system that is prevalent in the Mediterranean countries including North Cyprus. Buildings tend to be over-specified, but this can only be an advantage to the property buyer. Materials are readily available from Turkey, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK. When buying ‘off-plan’ property in North Cyprus, most constructors allow you to sell on the contract after approximately 25% of the property price has been paid, allowing investors to observe the market and then sell on to make a profit which, in Northern Cyprus, is not liable to capital gains tax. Again, the longer a property buyer leaves it and makes extra payments, the higher the profit will be. One has to be aware of such perils and look for a trustable construction company.

Construction Standards

All construction activity is subject to a building permit issued by the District Office or Municipality in North Cyprus. Before obtaining the building permit all prepared plans and drawings must be signed by an accredited architect and must then be submitted for a visa by the Chamber of Architects and Civil Engineers.

The Building Permit process requires a full set of electrical drawings that must be followed exactly. Construction standards vary so it is a good idea to buy from a North Cyprus company with an established reputation and member to the Cyprus Turkish Building Contractors association. Before making a purchase decision on something yet to be built, you should examine examples of completed work by the builder involved.

Our internal law permits foreigners to buy and sell immovable properties like any other country, including the South Cyprus administration. Buying and selling pre 1974 Greek owned exchange land is under guarantee of our State and will be dealt after the solution of the Cyprus political problem.

In solving the Cyprus problem, along with the constitutional matter of guarantees, the property ownership issue and the exchange of land between the land left by the Turkish Cypriots in the South of the island and the land left by the Greek Cypriots in the North, remains one of the most important matters to be tackled. Despite the rejection by the Greek Cypriots to the Annan Peace Plan, it is stated by high ranking officials within the European Union and emphasised by world leaders, and it is also believed by quite a number of the people living in the North of the island that, after Turkey’s European Membership matter was decided upon on the 17lh of December of last year, it is most likely that with some minor and cosmetic changes, the Annan Plan will be put before the Cypriot People again and that this will be the main source and tool for solving the Cyprus problem.

In recent years, and especially during the period after the referendum was held, quite a number of foreigners have made investment and also purchased villas or land in Northern Cyprus. So the outcome of the settlement of property ownership matters is of great concern to these foreign buyers in Cyprus.

I myself believe that, even if not in name, the principles of the Annan Plan will be the main tool for solving the Cyprus problem and I will therefore try here to analyse the property ownership matter under this Peace Plan.

In Northern Cyprus, within the legal circles, we categorise the property ownership of Title Deeds under 4 classes and express their strength in numerical order.

1. Land having pre-1974 Turkish owned Title Deeds
2. Land having pre-1974 Foreigner owned Title Deeds
3. Land previously owned and left in the North by the Greeks, which have been given to the Turkish Cypriots in exchange for their land left in the South (exchange land)
4. Land previously owned and left in the North by the Greeks, which has been given to

Turkish Cypriots or to Turkish Settlers by the Turkish Cypriot Government under the criteria’s of Economic Development or Agricultural Work Force

Since the classes of Title Deeds under 1 and 2 are straightforward, I will touch on the subject of Title Deeds categorised under class 4 in the paragraph below and I mainly, according to and in respect of Annan Plan, will analyse the categorised class 3 Title Deeds.

Whilst there are some discussions and controversy concerning the lands given or sold under category 4, people who purchased this type of land strongly argue that they have purchased this land under TRNC Title Deeds in good faith, and they will fight to retain this land. Eventually, if they cannot be able to retain this land, the Turkish Authorities must compensate them.

After the 1974 Greek onslaught against the Turkish Cypriots, and the subsequent Turkish Peace Operation, most of the Turkish Cypriots living in the South left their land in the South and came to the North and the Greek Cypriots living in the North did the same and went to the South. In 1975, the Turkish and Greek Cypriot Community Leaders, Mr Rauf Denktas and Mr Glafkos Clerides, had come to an agreement at Vienna to exchange the remainder of the Turkish and Greek Cypriots people left on either side. From this date onwards, and after the summit agreements in 1977 and 1979 between Denktash and Makarios and between Denktash and Kibrianou, it was agreed by both communities that a settlement in Cyprus between the two communities will be based on a bi-communal and bi-zonal basis.

Quite rightly, the Secretary General Kofi Annan Peace Plan is also based on this principle and has given the right to the Turkish Cypriot people to set off their land left in the South against the Greek land given to them in the North. The other frequent question asked by property buyers, who may be a foreigner or a Turkish Cypriot, is will we be able to get an internationally recognised Title Deed to the land we have purchased on which a villa is built on affected property previously owned by the Greeks?

The short answer to this question is, if the villa is built on affected land (which we classified as class 3 land above) which can be set off against a dispossessed Turkish land left in the South, you will be able to get an internationally recognised Title Deed without paying any further money. But if the villa is built on class 4 land, as classified above, and it’s building permissions were obtained before 31s’ of December 2002; the answer to this questions under the Plan is that: Draft Annex VI1, Article 13, quotes, “The owner of a significant improvement to an affected property may apply to receive Title to that property in exchange for payment of the current value of the affected property without the improvement. The Property Board shall order transfer of the Title after payment of compensation to the dispossessed owner at the current value for his/her interest in the property”.

The big question here remains to be answered as to who is going to make the payment under this category? The owners of the building in this category argue that, this category of land must be dealt with under the overall settlement by the two communities, or if not, it must be the Turkish Authorities who pay the money because the buying and selling has taken place under the current laws in force. But some buyers, after taking into account the cheap value they have purchased their land for (probably in the region of half the purchase value in Southern Cyprus), they are prepared to pay for the land value, if they are eventually forced to do so, for the sake of obtaining an internationally recognised Title Deed. They are estimating that the value of their villa, in these circumstances will be doubled, if not more. With regard to the time limit for obtaining permission for the building of these villas, the expectation of the construction companies is that, since the Annan Plan has not come into force in May of this year and many villas and buildings have been newly started with permission being obtained after the aforesaid date, the date put on the Annan Plan for obtaining these visas and permissions must also be changed and put ahead accordingly.

I must finally add that the Annan Plan’s rules and implications are discussed and interpreted in many different ways by the two communities, and even within the same community. I myself in my article have tried to give my readers the best of my understanding and interpretation, as well as some information in general affecting properties under the Annan Plan, and I therefore do not accept any responsibility under this article.

What is your budget?

Do you know enough to choose location wisely?

As the winter season approaches, the meticulously made fireplace or the air-conditioning in every main room will make the chilly weather a pleasure. As for the hot summers, a two minute drive to the beach or a quick jump in the pool makes it worthwhile.

This available North Cyprus villa was first set up as a show house meaning it is carefully maintained. The landscape of the garden is specially arranged for the vegetation of North Cyprus with many types of plants and cactus-es. All in all, the villa specifications integrated with the marvelous location, this opportunity cannot be missed.

Here are some views from this awesome opportunity :