Ministry of Interior report highlights irregularities in Paphos Turkish Cypriot property management

A report from the Cypriot Ministry of Interior has identified significant irregularities in the management of Turkish Cypriot properties by the Municipality of Paphos from 2015 to the present. Senior Ministry officials Elena Karekla and Giannos Sofokleou noted that approximately 110 lease agreements were audited between 2024 and 2025. Investigations revealed that municipal authorities exploited a loose institutional framework and legal gaps to bypass transparency and equal treatment protocols. Specifically, the municipality frequently acquired properties despite competing interest from displaced refugees who were rightful applicants. Furthermore, auditors discovered instances where properties were not used for their stated purposes. Officials highlighted a systemic conflict of interest present until 2023, as local authorities participated in the committees responsible for granting the same properties they sought for themselves. While officials clarified that these findings do not necessarily establish criminal liability, the report emphasizes a failure in sound administration. Since 2023, the Ministry has introduced new safety measures and restructured the decision-making committees to prevent similar abuses.