Cyprus EU membership 8 months on: has it changed your life?

cannedmoose · professor

Just interested in finding out how you all feel membership of the EU has changed everyday life in Cyprus. Have you encountered more bureaucracy? Has it brought more opportunities for business, jobs, travel etc.?

If anyone would be interested in assisting with a larger survey, please let me know.

Piratis · Moderator

My every day life hasn't changed.
For me the EU membership is good for mainly 2 reasons:
1) Security
2) EU has strict regulations and they will make sure that these regulations are enforced in Cyprus also.

Nickp · advanced member

My friend from Cyprus has come to study in England with alot of other GC's and they only pay home fee tuitions.

Plus, when i arrrive in Cyprus, it's quicker getting out the airport as they just glance at your passport. But they still insist that i need an "army exit pass" when i leave, depsite me being born in England and an EU citizen! Pesky peasents! Evil or Very Mad

brother · professor

I think the question was asked on the larger picture sense nick. Wink

cannedmoose · professor

Judge Mental · member

Keep hearing that the cost of living has risen sharply...food....concrete and general building supplies........alcohol.......petrol etc

Bit worried about that as we are/were planning on moving to cyprus when we have sold our house here in the uk, and were hoping to benefit from a lower cost of living....what is the situation please?

chris

cannedmoose · professor

Judge, it has risen, but it is still cheaper to live in Cyprus than the UK. My parents were over there for the last month scouting for land to buy and priced it up compared to the UK and France (where they currently live). Granted they have the advantage of knowing many of the locals through my in-laws, but they still came to the conclusion that it's still significantly cheaper. Plus, how can you put a price on a better climate?

brother · professor

Exactley, its the climate thats worth its weight in gold, and don't forget that glorious beach all around cyprus.

devil · lecturer

It seems that the poll has closed, so I couldn't vote.

I would have voted negative, mainly because of the swingeing increase in the cost of living, including nearly a doubling of the VAT in 2 or 3 years. Quite frankly, as an ordinary householder, I cannot say that I've noticed much which is positive, unless you count exporting Matsakis to Brussels, where he can do less harm Laughing

Of course it's also given an excuse to all the politicians to appear more often on TV, spouting their usual inanities ad nauseam, while their henchmen try to jostle behind them to be seen by the camera.

brother · professor

Cypriots cool to benefits of EU accession
By Leo Leonidou

LESS than a year after accession, Cypriots appear to be pessimistic on the benefits to the island of entry into the European Union.

Only four out of 10 people say that Cyprus will benefit from its entry to the EU, while one out of three support the view that Cypriot entry will bring negative repercussions to the island.

The views have come to light following the publication of the Cyprobarometer survey, carried out on behalf of the Planning and Economic Research Service of Laiki Group, for the ninth year in a row.

Respondents were asked to mention the problems which they consider as being the second-most important after the Cyprus problem. Drugs and the cost of living are the most serious problems today, with 29 and 26 per cent respectively mentioning them.

The economy also seems to be a cause for concern, with 69 per cent of respondents claiming the state of the economy was worse last year than in 2003. Public opinion appears bleak on the economic outlook for 2005, compared with last year. Fifty-five per cent of Cypriots believe that the economy will deteriorate, which contradicts the views of previous years, which were more optimistic.

People questioned were also asked what they would do if they had a substantial amount of money to invest. Forty-three per cent said they would buy land, 22 per cent would give the money to their children, 18 per cent would leave the money in a bank and 10 per cent would buy property.

A reduction is seen in this year’s Cyprobarometer, when compared with the last two years, as far as the opinion of Cypriots is concerned in whether the Church should modernise itself. Fifty-nine per cent agree, compared with 64 and 63 per cent in the last two years.

People were asked to say how often they go to church (except for weddings, christenings and funerals). Thirty-six per cent said that they go a few times per year and 18 per cent that they go rarely. Only one out of five said they go to church every Sunday.

Respondents were also asked whether they were in favour of the creation of a casino in Cyprus. Thirty-eight per cent said yes compared with 34 per cent last year.

Internet use is still relatively rare, with only one out of five people saying they use the worldwide web.

Finally, 78 per cent said they consider Cyprus to have an environmental problem, with the opinion having more support among the residents of Paphos and Limassol.

The Cyprobarometer survey was carried out in December last year and covered 984 permanent residents aged 18 to 75.