Property in the Cyprus Peace Process – Proceedings of the PCC-CePs Conference 20–21 May 2010 (Brussels)

The report details a conference in Brussels where representatives of Greek Cypriots (GCs) and Turkish Cypriots (TCs) discussed the legal, normative, and economic challenges of property restitution and compensation. Key tensions include the GCs' emphasis on the right of the legal owner to choose the remedy and the TCs' focus on the rights of current users and the principle of bizonality. The proceedings explore the role of the Immovable Property Commission (IPC), the impact of European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) rulings, and the financial impossibility of full market-value compensation, suggesting alternative market-based exchange mechanisms and the need for social reconciliation.

• There is a fundamental disagreement between the two communities regarding who has the primary right to determine the future of a property: Greek Cypriots argue the legal owner should choose between restitution, compensation, or exchange, while Turkish Cypriots contend the current user should have the first option.
• The scale of the property issue is vast, involving approximately 400,000 pieces of land, comprising 310,000 Greek Cypriot and 90,000 Turkish Cypriot properties, necessitating hundreds of thousands of individual decisions.
• Full market-value compensation is deemed financially prohibitive; one estimate suggests it could cost EUR 45 billion, which is twice the combined GDP of the island, potentially causing a massive inflationary shock.
• The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the Demopoulos case recognized the Immovable Property Commission (IPC) as an effective domestic remedy, shifting the legal focus toward the IPC as the proper channel for claims.
• Public opinion polls indicate a sharp divide in preferences: 53% of Greek Cypriots view restitution as 'absolutely essential', whereas only 5% of Turkish Cypriots desire restitution, with the latter preferring compensation.
• Turkish Cypriots emphasize the principle of bizonality, arguing that any property settlement must ensure each community maintains a clear majority of population and property ownership in their respective areas.
• A proposed 'market-maker' model suggests a two-phase approach using a Reunification Bank and a property trust to facilitate voluntary cash sales and exchanges, bypassing the 'daisy-chain' complexity of interlocking ownership and use.
• The loss of property is described as more than a financial or legal issue, symbolizing a loss of community, dignity, and identity, particularly for Greek Cypriot refugees who view their homes as ties to place over generations.

APA

Mullen, F. (n.d.). Property in the Cyprus Peace Process – Proceedings of the PCC-CePs Conference 20–21 May 2010 (Brussels). Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/c001a4e7-1ea5-4ec0-b960-017e90785e80/Displacement_Report_6_ENG.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Mullen, Fiona. Property in the Cyprus Peace Process – Proceedings of the PCC-CePs Conference 20–21 May 2010 (Brussels). Peace Research Institute Oslo, n.d. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/c001a4e7-1ea5-4ec0-b960-017e90785e80/Displacement_Report_6_ENG.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mullen |first1=Fiona |title=Property in the Cyprus Peace Process – Proceedings of the PCC-CePs Conference 20–21 May 2010 (Brussels) |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/c001a4e7-1ea5-4ec0-b960-017e90785e80/Displacement_Report_6_ENG.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mullenndproperty, author = {Mullen, Fiona}, title = {{Property in the Cyprus Peace Process – Proceedings of the PCC-CePs Conference 20–21 May 2010 (Brussels)}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/c001a4e7-1ea5-4ec0-b960-017e90785e80/Displacement_Report_6_ENG.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }