The government of the Republic of Cyprus has expressed strong satisfaction following a new decision by the Committee of Ministers’ Deputies (in Human Rights composition) of the Council of Europe, which keeps open the supervision of Turkey’s compliance with a landmark European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling on the island’s interstate case.
The decision concerns property rights of displaced Greek Cypriots following Turkey’s 1974 invasion and continued occupation of the island’s northern territories.
In a written statement, the Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasised that the development is the result of “systematic and targeted diplomatic actions” undertaken by Nicosia in close coordination with the Republic’s Law Office. According to the ministry, support for Turkey’s request to close the monitoring procedure has decreased compared with the previous vote in 2024—an outcome interpreted as growing recognition of Ankara’s ongoing non-compliance.
Nicosia reiterated its long-standing position that the illegal sale and exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas—activities that have intensified in recent years—constitute a direct violation of ECHR judgments. The ministry stressed that Turkey’s continued refusal to comply with those rulings prevents the termination of monitoring on the property aspect of the interstate case.
The decision also highlighted Cyprus’ new diplomatic initiative during Thursday’s meeting: the proposal for a draft resolution that would refer an interpretative question to the ECHR related to paragraph 63 of the Court’s 2014 judgment on Just Satisfaction. The referral, made under Article 46.3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, would allow the Committee of Ministers to request an interpretative opinion from the Court when execution of a judgment is obstructed by uncertainty over its meaning.
Cyprus noted that support for this proposal—first introduced in September 2024—has increased, reflecting a broader shift within the Committee in favour of greater pressure on Ankara. Nicosia argues that, until Turkey fully complies with its international obligations, supervision of the property rights violations must remain active.
