WHAT A MESS!
GİRNE’S BIG FESTIVAL,BUT THE TOWN’S IN SHAMBLES
GIRNE town centre traders are up in arms after the main shopping streets were dug up for the second time in 14 months. After nearly two years of upheaval when major refurbishment was carried out, they say are now facing further loss of business.
And as folk dancers, officials and spectators gathered yesterday amid the rubble,cables and craters for the opening of Girne’s Olive Festival-one of the district’s flagship annual events- the main road into Zeytinlik, where the events of the three-day festival are centered,was also in chaos because of sewage works.
People planning to attend the festival this weekend are being advised to take the mini-bypass route into Zeytinlik to avoid the ongoing work on the roads around the social housing area on the northern edge of the village.
The anger of the traders, who endured work that over-ran by months before being completed last summer, belies the optimism of Girne Mayor Sümer Aygın,who outlined to Cyprus Today the progress being made on infrastructure work throughout the town.
The mayor cited the latest European Union-funded project to install street lighting on the Ziya Rızkı “high street” and adjoining Atatürk and Canbulat roads as one of the improvements being made.
But high street shopkeepers spoke of their frustration and anger at the digging up of pavements that were only put in as part of the last EU-funded project.
FIRST PHASE OF NEW GİRNE BYPASS SHOULD BE OPEN BY APRIL
THE first five kilometers of the 11km Girne bypass is nearly ready for asphalting and should be open to traffic in April, Highways Department director Aydın Kahyalar said on Thursday.
“The first section,between the masque by the main Lefkoşa-Girne road and the Girne American University, can be asphalted as soon as a few minor problems are resolved,” said Mr Kahyalar. “However, the project is being run by Turkey and officials in Ankara will decide when completed sections will be asphalted.”
The target originally set by the Turkish Highways Department set by the Turkish Highways Department and contractors Metz Ltd for the bypass construction, which began in April, was to complete the first 7 km within a year.
But Mr Kahyalar said:”We had to alter our original plan for the bypass to meet the western coastal road due to various problems. we are, however, on schedule and aim to complete the first 5km by April.”
One of the co-owners of Metz,Levent Eray, confirmed this and said: “Weather conditions on the island are very suitable for laying asphalt- the only problem is rain. If all goes well, we will be able to finish the first stage on time. But the decision for this will come from Turkey.”
He added that it would be possible to complete the next 2 km of the road, up to where it meets the Girne-Alsancak road near the Erener petrol station, by August next year.
Metz is also undertaking the second of the northern coastal road, and Mr Eray said work had intensified on the Tatlısu-Geçitkale section.
He was confident that both road projects would be finished on time, despite hitches.”We set a target of two years for the completion of these roads...... the work will go smoothly and they will be completed on time.”
SOUTH COURTS CAN’T PROSECUTE THOSE ENTERING VIA NORTH
IT would be impossible for courts in South Cyprus to penalize Cypriots or EU nationals for entering the island via the TRCN, South Cyprus chief immigration officer Anni Shakali said this week, apparently dismissing newspaper reports in the South that “administrative fines” were on the cards.
Ms Shakali’s statement came in response to the reports that the Greek Cypriot government was considering imposing fines on anyone entering the island through the North and attempting to cross the “Green Line.”
Ms Shakali was quoted as having told the House Interior Committee: “We don’t prosecute,despite the fact that they have entered illegally, because we don’t want to overburden the justice system.”
The Cyprus Mail newspaper said she had told the committee that a proposal had been drawn up for legislation that would allow for administrative fines to be imposed on people crossing the “Green Line”, “having arrived through an illegal point of entry”. The paper wrote: “This takes on political importance because EU citizens will also be subject to fines.”
The head of the Delegation of the European Commission in Cyprus, Themis Themistocleous, yesterday told Cyprus Today that he had no information on the chief immigration officer of South Cyprus “was clear enough”.
Mr Themistocleous said the Green Line Regulations were introduced for the free movement of goods, services and people and what was happening in practice was in line with the regulation.
Court appeal in bitter land dispute delayed for a month
IT’S TRENCH WAR NEAR KARAMAN
ACOURT appeal hearing in a bitter land dispute between two neighbors near Karaman has been delayed for a month.
Ahmet Çağaçar, a UK resident who has a holiday home on the outskirts of the village, can only gain access to it through the land of his neighbor, İbrahim Hacı Şevki.
But he says has been denied this since he bought the house early last year, despite paying 13,000YTL to purchase a right of way. He also alleges Mr Şevki dug trenches to stop him reaching his home.
The matter eventually went to court earlier this year and resulted in a ruling in Mr Çağaçar’s favor, but Mr Şevki appealed against the decision.
The case was due to be heard on Tuesday, but has now been postponed until November 10 after Mr Çağaçar’s lawyer obtained a court order for the Land Registry to mark out his right of way.
Mr Çağaçar explained:”The house and land was purchased by the previous owner in the early 1970s but he didn't’t have time to register the right of way before the troubles in 1974.”
“Then the house was destroyed by fire in 1995 and when I bought it,I was required to purchase the right of way again. But things have been made very difficult for me to obtain access and despite winning the court case, the situation has not got any better.”
“I just want to get the matter resolved and to able to bring my family over from London to enjoy the property and village.”
Mr Hacı Şevki was not available for comment when Cyprus Today tried to contact him this week. His lawyer also declined to comment.
SHURTDOWN FOR BAYRAM
THE three-day Ramadan Bayram begins next Monday,October 23, at the end of a month of fasting by Muslims.
The festival is traditionally marked with feasting and many Turkish Cypriots will be following a custom of centuries by also visiting the elderly and relatives.
Tables will be prepared where families can sit together to eat an drink. Television stations will broadcast special festive entertainment shows with belly dancers, comedians and famous singers.
For those staying in the TRCN, no official transactions will be possible because government offices and banks will be shut throughout the public holiday, from Monday, October 23 to Wednesday, October 25.
Many shops will also be closed on the Monday, although major supermarkets will remain open throughout the holiday.
- Cyprus Today’s overseas subscribers are advised that because of the Post Office closure during the three-day Ramadan Bayram holiday, next week’s issue, dated October 21, will not be sent out until Thursday,October 26. We regret the delay.
1,000 old city homes to go
AROUND 1,000 new social housing homes are to be allocated to families currently living in the “old city” of Lefkoşa so that more restaurants and bars can be created within the historic city centre for tourists.
Semavi Aşık, a member of Lefkoşa Turkish Municipality Council, said the local authority aimed to continue to revive the old quarter by making it more attractive to visitors.
Applications for the new homes are being invited from families between Monday and November 30.
Mr Aşık added: “Applicants have to be resident in Lefkoşa for three years, be a TRCN citizen and have no property to their name.”
“No date is yet set for when the new accommodation will be available, but we aim to build 250 houses a year once we get started.”
ORAMS: NOTHING NEW IN CANDOUNAS APPEAL-HE’S “GAINING TIME”
THE head of the legal team representing Lapta home-owners Linda and David Orams has said he is confident in the face of an appeal by Greek Cypriot lawyer Constantis Candounas against the British high Court’s decision in favor of the couple.
Hasan Vahib said his main aim now was to convince the judge in any appeal case that the decision should not go to the European Court of Justice.
Mr Candounas launched an appeal last week against the ruling in September that an earlier decision by a South Cyprus court- ordering the Oramses to knock down their villa and return the land, with compensation, to Greek Cypriot claimant Mletios Apostolides- was unenforceable in the UK.
After studying the Candounas appeal, lodged last Tuesday, the day before the deadline to do so, Mr Vahib said there was nothing new in Mr Candounas’s arguments, citing what he has called “complete and utter mistaken interpretation” in the judge’ application of Protocol 10 of Cyprus’s European Union accession treaty
Mr Vahib said: “I think what they will try to do is take it to the European Court of Justice if they can, because in the High Court in London the result will probably be the same. As far as we are concerned the matter is closed and we hope and think the appeal hearing will see it this way as well.”
“I think Mr Candounas thinks he can gain extra time to form a new case by making this appeal. The problem is the case was never about stopping the economic growth of the North of Cyprus.”
“As I have said before, it would be preferable if a solution to these property issues and arguments was provided by governments rather that lawyers and let’s hope the other side eventually sees it that way.”
