“Foreign buyers may have strong ECHR case” by Anil Isik
Foreign property buyers who “fell victim” to the North Cyprus property boom could have a strong case at the EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS according to a leading TRNC rights campaigner.
Lawyer Emine Colak who has penned a report on property for the Human Rights Foundation she heads, said buyers who fell foul of rogue developers or similar problems had a strong argument – the right to a home – in their favour should take a legal fight to Strasbourg.
She said the real question was whether the government could be held responsible for any breaches of buyers’ rights. “The authorities have the responsibility to protect people’s homes,” she said. “Our authorities could be held liable for not providing that protection to these people”.
While new regulations were now in place to protect property purchasers she added, the measures had come ‘too late for many’.
Speaking to Cyprus Today Mrs Colak was critical of lawyers and banks as well as of misleading developers who sought to capitalise on the post Annan Plan property boom of 2004. She described the role played by some solicitors in the house purchasing process as tragic and unethical and warned buyers to be wary. In some cases the lawyer for the building company also put themselves forward as lawyers for the purchasers. “In any civilised society this is a total conflict of interest,” she said
Mrs Colak had more to say but much of it we have been saying over and over so I will not repeat it.
There are two full pages covering this issue on pages 10 and 11 of Cyprus Today. I will endeavour to scan them so that they may appear with this article.
At least Mrs Colak is on the ball and making her presence felt. We salute you Emine Colak.
Pauline Ann Read
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