The Cyprus Vakıflar Administration has reacted to the demolition of the Dianellio Technical School in South Cyprus that belongs to the Evkaf foundation.

The Administration emphasized that the demolition of the “Dianellio Technical School” by the Greek Cypriot Administration is against international law and announced that it will start a struggle against it in every field.

Issuing a written statement, the General Manager of the Vakıflar Administration İbrahim Benter stated that the demolition of the Dianellio Technical School in Larnaca South Cyprus by the Greek Cypriot administration was published in the press and added that the land which the school is built on belonged to the Evkaf foundation and therefore it is not possible to build anything on that land.

The statement noted that while the Greek Cypriot administration could have restored the school that belonged to the Vakıflar administration through the Cultural Heritage Committee or UNDP, it on the other hand contrary to international cultural heritage law, decided to directly infringe on the property right of the Vakıflar administration.

Explaining that only a section of the building was ruined and therefore the whole building did not need to be destroyed, Benter stated that this practice of completely demolishing a building is against the rules of Evkaf and the Ahkamül Evkaf.

He added that the Greek Cypriot administration has been using thousands of buildings and lands belonging to the Evkaf foundation illegally since 1974.

Noting that there have been serious violations in terms of loss of use and damages to other buildings belonging to the foundation due to the usurpation of the Evkaf properties by the Greek Cypriot Administration, Benter said, “As a result of the damage caused by the Greek Cypriot Administration’s invasion attempts on Evkaf properties, it is very clear that the Greek Cypriot Administration owes compensation to the Evkaf foundation.

Stating that on the basis of research, the loss of income of Evkaf is calculated as billions of euros, and that the buildings belonging to Evkaf are neglected and demolished by the Greek Cypriot Administration, Benter strongly condemned this arbitrary and unlawful attitude towards cultural heritage and defended its legal rights.

Benter said, “For this reason, as the Evkaf Foundation we emphasize again that destroying the cultural heritage is a violation of human rights”.

Emphasizing that the issue is very serious, Benter stated that this is an attack on Turkish Cypriot cultural heritage, the people and their fundamental rights.