Court Postpones Hearings on Greek Cypriot Property Cases in Northern Cyprus

A court in Cyprus has postponed hearings in two ongoing cases involving transactions with Greek Cypriot-owned properties in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The trials of German national Eva Kunzel and two Hungarian women—currently held in custody—have been rescheduled for late April and May.

The hearings, initially set for April 16, were delayed once again. According to local reports, Kunzel’s trial was postponed due to the illness of a police officer expected to testify. Kunzel is accused of the illegal use of Greek Cypriot property in the TRNC.

Her lawyer did not oppose the delay and requested a handwriting analysis of certain documents. A handwriting sample was taken from Kunzel, and the court set new hearing dates for May 2, 5, and 14.

The case involving the two Hungarian nationals, Ilona Leskó and Melinda Ladányi, was also postponed until April 29 due to the illness of one of the three judges presiding over the case. Both women face similar charges related to property transactions in Northern Cyprus.

Eva Kunzel, 49, was arrested on July 7 at Larnaca Airport as part of an investigation into the sale of Greek Cypriot-owned property in the TRNC. The first hearing took place in mid-September, but the case has been repeatedly delayed since.

The trial of the Hungarian women began in December 2024. According to court records, the transactions involved land and properties that belonged to Greek Cypriots before 1974. One of the defendants has already pleaded guilty to 19 out of 63 charges—marking the first admission of guilt in such a case.

Over the past year, authorities in the Republic of Cyprus have stepped up arrests of foreign nationals—both property owners and real estate agents—linked to property transactions in the north. These arrests have drawn sharp criticism from TRNC officials, who have raised the issue with the United Nations. TRNC President Ersin Tatar has described the arrests as “unacceptable.”