No Control in Northern Cyprus over Taxpayers Money or Known Criminals
Ollie Rehn, Commissioner for Enlargement
Brussels
cc: chairman of EP's Budget Control Committee
president, EU's Court of Auditors
Dear Mr Rehn,
Since the chairman of the Budget Control Committee yesterday encouraged you not to answer the points I raised [during a debate] about the situation in Turkish-held Cyprus, and invited a written answer, it is obviously necessary to repeat myself on paper. Please regard this as an addendum to my letter of 3 November, which remains unanswered.
I draw your attention to Council Resolution 389/2006, article 8, sub-paragraph 3. The meaning is clear. Equally clear are the statements made in my hearing both in the parliament during a meeting with one of your staff, and in Nicosia with the head of the EP's offices. Both said that enforcement of the above requirement was impossible, partly because the regime is not recognised by the EU or anyone else except Turkey, and partly because of insuperable day-to-day obstacles which were described in some detail.
Nonetheless, some 259 million euros of taxpayers' money is being deployed in the north and much of it is known to have been misused, to say the very least. I mentioned the example of the EU paying for new pavements in one of the wealthiest holiday resorts in the north, Kyrenia, which is groaning with wealth from its numerous casinos.
There is understandable anger amongst taxpayers when they hear of such examples. The indisputable use of their taxes as a substitute for adequate local taxation, and so that the EU can 'buy' local popular support, are both unacceptable reasons for the deployment of public money.
I also drew your attention yesterday to Article 7 of the same EC Resolution, which specifically confirms the protection of property. This is plainly not being implemented either, as I have seen for myself and learned from the torrent of correspondence from defrauded constituents in the UK.
Between 60 and 80% of the land in the north is owned by Greeks now in the south and who have been unable for decades to recover or gain some compensation. Mr Talat has categorically said, and confirmed in my hearing, there will be no settlement of the property issue until present negotiations have agreed a deal on governance. That effectively rules out property negotiations indefinitely, and puts the pseudo Property Commission set up by the Turkish regime into limbo.
Meanwhile, the north is harbouring, and encouraging, a number of professional criminals who have defrauded some £55 million from prospective home-owners in the north by "selling" non-existent property on land they do not own, to which they do not have title, and which they may never build.
As I have asked in various EU forums several times, when is the EU going to pressure the Turkish regime to stop harbouring professional criminals? Surely any prospective settlement of the Cyprus problem must include an ending of the Turks' status as a pariah state supported by criminals?
Ashley Mote
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