(JNS) The reported purchase by an Israeli entrepreneur of roughly 70% of the homes in the deserted village of Trozena, Cyprus, has triggered a wave of false rumors and accusations, even as the buyer moves ahead with plans to develop an agritourism resort focused on quiet, sustainable tourism and has already begun construction work, a source familiar with the matter told JNS.
“The village was largely abandoned in the 1980s and 1990s because it was difficult to access,” the source said. “But the construction work sparked rumors that the village is now shut to visitors, that the local church will be demolished and that the area will become a closed Israeli community—some even describe it as a settlement.”
Despite denials from both the entrepreneur and local authorities, the rumors have generated significant controversy.
“If some parts of the village are temporarily inaccessible, it is for safety reasons because of the construction,” the source continued. “No church will be demolished and nobody was forced to sell their homes.”
According to the source, the controversy has struck a particularly sensitive nerve in Cypriot society, touching on concerns over foreign real estate investment, Israeli involvement on the island, national identity, the trauma of the Turkish occupation and fears of what some perceive as a potential demographic takeover.
The issue was amplified on social media by Fidias Panayiotou, the 26-year-old YouTuber-turned-politician who was elected to the...
(JNS) The reported purchase by an Israeli entrepreneur of roughly 70% of the homes in the deserted village of Trozena, Cyprus, has triggered a wave of false rumors and accusations, even as the buy...