Abuse of process and res judicata were the main issues examined
by the District Court of Larnaca when deciding on a recent interim
application to freeze assets.1
Facts
Α company (the applicant in the case) and the owners of a
hotel (the vendors) entered into an agreement giving the company
– or a third party introduced by it – an option to
purchase the hotel within four months at a stipulated price.
Soon after the option agreement was signed, the vendors sought
to be released from their obligations under the option agreement so
that they could sell the hotel to a third party at a higher price.
The option holder immediately rejected the vendors' request and
subsequently informed them that it was exercising the option to
purchase the hotel.