ANNOUNCEMENT
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Lawsuit for the constitutional rights of the Turkish Cypriots will go on.
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Despite the objections of the attorney, the High Court will hear the lawsuit.
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The defence of the Republic of Cyprus will have to be in Turkish language.
Grand Chamber heard the first hearing of the lawsuit on 1st December 2006, following the rejection of the application of 78 Turkish Cypriots demanding to be registered in the Turkish electoral list.
Mr. Ali Erel and Mr. Mustafa Damdelen brought the lawsuit before the High Court against the Minister of Interior, the Attorney General and the Republic of Cyprus.
High Court at its previous meetings had declared the case admissible and ordered the applicants and the respondent Attorney General to present the court in writing, their cases by 13th November 2006 the latest.
Despite the court ruling, the Attorney General, represented by different Attorney at each three court hearings, had failed to file his defence by 1st December 2006. The repeated demand by the Attorney that “the case be declared inadmissible and stroked out on procedural reasons” was once again rejected. The court reiterated its former ruling that, “the case was already considered admissible” and ruled that, “it will proceed as applicants requested.”
On the objections of the applicants, the court dismissed the request of the Attorney to file his defence in Greek language. Upon the request of the Attorney and despite the objection of the applicants, the court also ruled that the Attorney General files his defence within the next six weeks to the court and sends a copy in Turkish language to the applicants as well.
The court also ruled that, irrespective of whether or not the Attorney General’s office representing the Republic of Cyprus, has filed his defence, the Grand Chamber of thirteen judges would begin the hearing of the case on 14th February 2007.
We announce the state of affairs for those interested in the mater and the public opinion.
Ali Erel – Mustafa Damdelen