Cyprus-Forum.com

[Paphitis]

Paphiti,

I have been living and working in Greece for nearly 40 years. My take is that Greeks are the most sheep like population I have ever come across, in terms of understanding and claiming their rights, and also one of the least prone to crime. The Eu crime stats sort of prove the point.

As to having property in Greece, how does Australia figure that out, when the property owners themselves, due to complex land law and lack of a land registry, might not know if they in fact have legal right in any property?

I am a case in point, my maternal grandfather left a house in his island, which is now subject to a division among a dozen or so grandkids. But the house has been taken over by a squatter. Do I have a property right in that house? I wish the Australian government would figure it out, cause the local courts cannot!

There are several neighbors who receive Australian pensions via the embassy. Are you sure that pensions are not payable overseas? I do not think these guys were civil servants or in the services. Two of them are an Anglo Australian couple who settled here after they retired.

I am pretty sure Nikita that Old Age and Disability Pensions are not payable if you move permanently overseas. There could be some variations I am not aware of.

Veterans and Service Pensions have zero restrictions.

One statistic I have also heard about is that apparently the Greek Community has the highest incidence of Disabilities or Injuries that prevent them from going to work in which case they can claim the Disability Pension.

A few years ago, there was simultaneous Federal Police raids on about a dozen Greek Doctors surgeries where the authorities confiscated computers, patients records and placed the practicing Doctors under arrest. Apparently it was a very long investigation and even phones were tapped. The Doctors were all charged with numerous counts of committing fraud.

It was said to be the biggest Social Security scam ring in history.

[repulsewarrior]

...the word, mallakes, comes to mind.

reminds me: it had to be that, at one point, the slimiest person I met in my life was a pimp selling sex in Piccadilly Circus, he had to be "Greek" of course, and Cypriot too, that's when he called me "phile", and I had had enough of him; I bet he was sorry he met me, "fighai" I screamed at the top of my lungs, while I chased him out of the square.

[SKI-preo]

...the word, mallakes, comes to mind.

reminds me: it had to be that, at one point, the slimiest person I met in my life was a pimp selling sex in Piccadilly Circus, he had to be "Greek" of course, and Cypriot too, that's when he called me "phile", and I had had enough of him; I bet he was sorry he met me, "fighai" I screamed at the top of my lungs, while I chased him out of the square.

How much did he want to charge? Eshi krisi re koumbare.

[repulsewarrior]

the conversation never got that far; when I saw the grime on what should have been a crisp white shirt, I went ballistic, I felt embarrassed that he was me so to speak, at that moment by association I was embarrassed for all Cypriots who happen to be Greek.

[Nikitas]

RW,

When Greece got suddenly affluent and immigrants started flooding in I had a few deje vue moments. Looking at those lost souls from easter Europe and other place I realised that is what I must have looked like to native English people when I arrived in the UK. The realisation sure made me more humble.

As for the crime, it kind of goes with the territory. In a new place, free of the traditional behavioral checks that a small community can exert, and suddenly mobile and enjoying the anonymity of a large city, lots of things can happen. North London Cypriots were a tough lot, but from what I hear things have changed a lot since as the community entrenched and became "solid citizens".

[Nikitas]

Re selling sex. In Saint Anne's Court in Soho some Cypriots found a house they used to ply their own brand of sex.

A tout approached tourists on the street, usually Americans, and promised them a super experience. They were led to the house and charged 5 sterling a head to enter. The door was closed behind them and they were faced with another door which the lady on duty told them would lead to heaven, for an additional 5 sterling a head. They got through that door, and yep, there was another one for 5 sterling a head, and that would be it, no more BS, once through they could go right into an unprecedented pleasure chamber. Once through, and the door shut behind them, they were in an empty room with another door but no door keeper. They would open the door and find themselves on the street.

Dishonest, obviously, but shows a certain style.

[repulsewarrior]

I liked to imagine that the guy who would go with a chap whose shirt was worn many days, should find himself right where he started, going to heaven as you say, a lot worse can happen.

...thanks Nikitas, a great memory.

[yialousa1971]

...the word, mallakes, comes to mind.

reminds me: it had to be that, at one point, the slimiest person I met in my life was a pimp selling sex in Piccadilly Circus, he had to be "Greek" of course, and Cypriot too, that's when he called me "phile", and I had had enough of him; I bet he was sorry he met me, "fighai" I screamed at the top of my lungs, while I chased him out of the square.

Was the pimps name Miltiades and the chick he was pimping out called GR.