The appeal of five brick production companies claiming the state violated their constitutional rights by failing to regulate factories operating in the north was dismissed by the Supreme Court on Monday.

In their 2009 lawsuit, the companies claimed that the Republic of Cyprus had violated their right to equal treatment and non-discrimination, alleging that they had suffered financial damage due to unfair competition from bricks manufactured in the north.

The brickmakers contended that bricks manufactured in the north, which subsequently circulated in the south, would not be subject to the same regulatory framework as those produced in the south, with the companies seeking compensation from the Republic for damages amounting to €95,000.

The court dismissed the lawsuit at first instance, ruling that no violation of the plaintiffs’ constitutional rights could be proven, and arguing that the companies had not presented sufficient evidence for the claimed damages.

The court of appeal ultimately upheld the decision, emphasising that factories operating in the north were not subject to the authority of the Republic’s institutions, making any comparison between the two legally irrelevant.

Concluding the case, the appeal was dismissed as unfounded and the companies were ordered to cover €3,000 in legal costs.