Ukrainian’s Objection Over North Cyprus Property Case Rejected

According to Politis, in a report headlined “No to Aykut, No to the Ukrainian… Court Rejects Preliminary Objection on Jurisdiction,” the court dismissed Pohodin’s challenge filed through his lawyer, Nikoletta Charalambidou, similar to a previous objection made by Simon Mistriel Aykut, who is facing related accusations.

Although Pohodin's defense argued that there were new elements in his case, the court found no significant differences from the Aykut case and rejected the objection on those grounds.

In his defense, Pohodin argued that under international customary law, the Greek Cypriot administration does not exercise effective control over the area in question. Therefore, it lacks legislative and judicial authority there. As a result, he contended, Greek Cypriot courts do not have jurisdiction over property located in areas outside their control, and the Criminal Court lacks the authority to hear the case.

However, the court unanimously ruled that “the exception which allows services and institutions of an unrecognised de facto government to serve local inhabitants does not constitute recognition, either directly or indirectly. This exception cannot become the rule and is therefore not applicable in this case.”

According to Politis, the ruling also claimed that the Republic of Cyprus maintains “regulatory and judicial jurisdiction over all issues, including immovable property, in the territory of the ‘TRNC’,” and therefore the Greek Cypriot Criminal Court has the authority to proceed with the case against Pohodin.