The government has approved the subletting of a large Turkish Cypriot property, converted into a supermarket, to a major supermarket chain whose owner was a sponsor of President Nikos Christodoulides during his election campaign last year.
The decision was revealed by the chairman of the House Refugees Committee, Nikos Kettiros, who raised concerns about the approval. Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou confirmed the subletting but denied any link to the election campaign or the president’s sponsors.
Ioannou said the subletting was approved under new regulations that allow Turkish Cypriot property holders to sublet their commercial properties. He clarified that beneficiaries can sublet due to health or age reasons and to recoup investments.
Under the new regulations, subletting is permitted for five years, after which the Turkish Cypriot Property Management Service will take over management and contract with the entrepreneur who agreed to sublet the property.
