Euro court orders Turkey to pay 14 mln euros to Greek citizen in inheritance case

ISTANBUL

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled for Turkey to pay approximately 14 million euros to Maria Çiropulos in an inheritance case on May 31. 

Efrosini Yianopulu, a Greek national, wanted to register herself as the heir of a property in Istanbul’s Etiler district after the death of her mother, Maria Yianopulu, but was rejected by the court for the “lack of right of Greek citizens to own land.” Çiropulos became Yianopulu’s heir after her death in March 31, 2009, and continued the case. 

“In its judgment on the merits of 14 January, 2014, the court found that the refusal by the domestic courts to acknowledge Ms. Yianopulu’s capacity as heir constituted an interference with the exercise of her right to respect for the enjoyment of her possessions,” the statement from the court read, while adding that the case concerned the refusal of the Turkish courts to recognize Yianopulu as heir.

The statement added that the interference was incompatible with the principle of legality and thus in breach of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1. 

A complaint was filed by Yianopulu in 2003 and Çiropulos, a Greek national who was born in 1924 and lives in Greece’s Palea Apidavros, informed the court that she wished to maintain the application in her capacity as heir after Yianopulu’s death. 

Turkey will pay a total of 14.325 million euros to Çiropulos, including pecuniary damages, non-pecuniary damages and costs and expenses. 

The land was transferred to the Treasury in 1995, and the applicant’s petition for the annulment of this transfer was refused. The plot was assessed at $10 million. The ECHR asked parties to agree on a value for the land, and stated that the court would decide on an amount if the negotiation process was unsuccessful.