Property Issue Exploded in Our Hands During Four and a Half Years says Erhürman

Speaking on Hakikat Web TV in response to Güven Arıklı’s questions, Erhürman said, “It is our duty to leave behind a country that our children will not only want to return to but will definitely want to come back to. That is our goal, and we will achieve it.”

Reflecting on Ersin Tatar’s four and a half years in office, Erhürman stated, “We have gained nothing during this period; the property issue has exploded in our hands.”

“Law Is Being Used as a Political Instrument”
Starting with the lawsuits filed in the south, Erhürman said, “These are not ordinary criminal cases. Clearly, there is a coordinated effort; legal cases are being organized and taken to courts. Law is being used as a tool of politics. This is not a new situation for us; we witnessed similar cases before 2010.”

He recalled that after the 2004 referendum, regulations on property created a sense of security in the market. “There was a construction boom after 2004. Then, lawsuits began coming from the south. Could they be stopped at that time? No. In 2009, for different reasons, it exploded in our hands,” he added. Highlighting the establishment of the Immovable Property Commission (IPC) in 2005, Erhürman noted that the Demopoulos decision recognized the IPC as an effective domestic legal remedy, providing a predictable framework. “Between 2010 and 2023, there were no such lawsuits. But since 2023, they have started to pour in. This is due to the ‘Go ahead, don’t be afraid’ approach. Without any regulation or planning, an uncontrolled environment emerged where anything can be done,” Erhürman said, emphasizing the lack of a comprehensive effort to solve the property problem.

“A Two-State Solution Means Continuation of Status Quo, Which Equals No Solution”
Erhürman dismissed claims that the entire property issue could be resolved without solving the Cyprus problem as unrealistic, noting that this is a broad and costly matter. “How do you solve the property problem? By solving the Cyprus problem. Property is already one of the six main pillars of the Cyprus issue,” he said.

He underlined the absence of political will for a Cyprus solution today and warned that a “two-state solution” means maintaining the current deadlock. “In Turkish, saying ‘two-state solution’ means ‘no solution is the solution.’ On one hand, you say the property issue will not be resolved; on the other, you tell people, ‘Go ahead, don’t be afraid,’” Erhürman remarked. He pointed out that Greek Cypriot leader Hristodulidis presented himself as the party seeking a solution, challenging the world with the question, “What do you expect me to do?”

Erhürman recalled the long-standing refrain: “We wanted a solution in 2004,” and “We showed our desire for a solution in 2010.” He said efforts were made during the Akıncı-Anastasiadis period. “We said, ‘You’re avoiding the solution; should I just sit here and wait without any economic activity?’ Ersin Bey took this and put it into Hristodulidis’s mouth, accusing us of not coming and selling properties.” Erhürman added that the “Go ahead, don’t be afraid” approach began Tatar’s tenure, which ended in the arrest of Simon Aykut, demonstrating how unplanned actions are.

“You Don’t Know History, Yet You Act Without Understanding”
Erhürman highlighted the threat many people face, explaining that under southern criminal law, any unauthorized activity on former Greek Cypriot properties is a punishable offense. “This includes everyone from equivalent owners to architects and contractors,” he said, questioning why these laws had not been enforced until 2023. “Because the conditions were not suitable. Turkish Cypriots still talked about a ‘will to solve’ the problem. There hadn’t yet been another construction boom,” he explained.

He stressed that a dedicated platform to address property issues was not created despite warnings about the legal basis for sales to foreigners. “During the Talat period, we established a separate platform for property. While lawsuits kept coming from the Greek Cypriot side about missing persons, we responded with countermeasures. We did not just sit at the negotiation table for the sake of it; we brought other issues to the agenda,” Erhürman said, emphasizing the need to understand what lies ahead at negotiations. “You don’t know history; you act without understanding. This mindset has repeated itself since 1974, unable to form a different sentence,” he concluded, questioning the cost of these actions for the country.

“Will Our Children Live Here or Not? This Is the Decision We Must Make”
Erhürman said those who have served as president and are running again must explain what they have contributed to society. “Doors were opened during the Denktaş period, during Akıncı’s, and during Talat’s. But now there is barely any progress at crossing points. In the same four and a half years, while the economy flowed from south to north, now it’s the opposite,” he said.

Reiterating, “We have gained nothing in four and a half years; the property issue has exploded in our hands,” Erhürman stressed that the era of empty speeches is over. “Every person is either an equivalent owner or an allocator; there are concerns at different levels. It is clear who brought us here. We have loudly said this everywhere. This is where we have arrived,” he added.

Pointing out that construction should never be the leading sector in a country, Erhürman said, “Our leading sector is tourism, but in tourism, we are left with only casino tourism. The problems in higher education are evident.”

He concluded, “The decision we must make is whether our children will live in this country or not. It is our responsibility to leave them a country they will definitely want to return to, not one they will want to leave for good. That is our goal, and we will achieve it.”