The state knows who has applied to the so-called "Compensation Committee" and those who may have sold their property in the occupied territories will not be entitled to compensation or financial support, now or in the future.
The reference that "the guards are aware" comes from Mr. Michalis Tziortas, president of the Union of Displaced Communities of Famagusta (E.E.K.A.), who was speaking yesterday before the parliamentary committee on Refugees.
Mr. Tziortas said that the President of the Republic himself informed the representatives of the occupied communities that the competent services know who has applied to the "Compensation Committee".
Refugee representatives observed that the issue is not for someone to claim compensation from the "Committee" for loss of use of their occupied property, but whether they have sold their property and at the same time are asking for or enjoying support from the state through the Equal Burden Distribution Agency or other state plans (housing and so on).
This aspect is expected to concern those who came to an agreement with the "Compensation Committee" when a sufficient fund is collected which will be allocated for the loss of use of the occupied properties. For the time being, the only item that exists is the income that flows to the Equal Burden Sharing Body from the sale of real estate.
The relevant legislation, which was approved on the initiative of MP Mr. Kostis Efstathiou, provides for the imposition of a fee of 4 per thousand on each purchase and sale of a property and based on sales, an amount of €20 – €25 million flows in each year. To date, the total amount ranges from €60 – €70 million.
As the chairman of the parliamentary committee on Refugees, Mr. Nikos Kettiros, stated yesterday, based on €20 – €25 million, the amount corresponding to each refugee ranges from €2 per month.
Mr. Kettiros also stated that one of the issues raised during the session concerns whether the loss of use will be calculated from 1974 (when the Turkish invasion occurred) or whether it will start counting from the date of approval of the relevant law proposal under discussion.
As the President of the Commission mentioned, the scenario seems to prevail according to which the time limit for the start of calculating the loss of use will be considered as 1974.
The Committee is also concerned about whether only natural persons or companies or other organizations that owned real estate in the occupied territories should be compensated. As he explained, there are companies that own real estate in the occupied territories, while the Church also owns large areas of land. If the above legal entities are deducted from the compensation, then the natural persons will receive more compensation, said Mr. Kettiros. He also said that the Commission has come up with some of the questions that have arisen in aspects that concern other questions and answers need to be given.
Answering a relevant question, he said that there was no conclusion as to whether the compensation will be paid monthly or annually.
There were questions as to whether the compensation should be granted taking into account the type of use of each property or based on the area of the affected land. On this issue, Mr. Kettiros also stated the following:
For example, for a hotel with an area of 1,000 square meters (sq.m.) the compensation will be the same as for an orchard also with an area of 1,000 sq.m. or will it be different? Obviously, this cannot be the case, so answers must be given both for this and for other issues.
In the bill, which was submitted by MP Kostis Efstathiou and DISY MPs Rita Superman, Nikos Georgiou, Giorgos Karoulas and Onoufrios Koulas (on behalf of the DISY parliamentary group), it is stated that it is the obligation of the State to take measures and show the due solidarity to the persons who have lost the possession, use, enjoyment or exploitation of their real estate, which is located in the occupied territories.
