Cyprus-Forum.com

[Nikitas]

May 2004 Cyprus joined the European Union and Cypriots on both sides of the fence celebrated.

BUT, since that time there has not been one expression of congratulations from the Turkish Cypriot side, nor any act of remembrance for the Cypriot diplomat who worked day and night for ten years to put is into the European Union- the late Yannos Kranidiotis.

Not a thank you, no one ever expected that, just a well done. And not one minor street or village square in the north was named after him, he was after all a Cypriot. No sir, the Turkish Cypriot side is not prone to acts of congratulation and less so to acts of gratitude no matter how well deserved they may be. The whole thing was treated as an assumed right by them.

One can review the history of the island since 1878 and can see similar acts of ingratitude. Since the green line opened thousands of TCs come over to the south to work, they get full pension benefits, access to social welfare but still, not a word of appreciation. These are the people we are supposedly going into partnership with in a federal state!

Are we kidding ourselves?

[Nikephoros]

Many NeoCypriots are kidding themselves about the prospects of co-existing with a warlike, uncouth, muslim people known as Turkish settlers and their Turkish Cypriot token minority.

[bigOz]

May 2004 Cyprus joined the European Union and Cypriots on both sides of the fence celebrated.

BUT, since that time there has not been one expression of congratulations from the Turkish Cypriot side, nor any act of remembrance for the Cypriot diplomat who worked day and night for ten years to put is into the European Union- the late Yannos Kranidiotis.

Not a thank you, no one ever expected that, just a well done. And not one minor street or village square in the north was named after him, he was after all a Cypriot. No sir, the Turkish Cypriot side is not prone to acts of congratulation and less so to acts of gratitude no matter how well deserved they may be. The whole thing was treated as an assumed right by them.

One can review the history of the island since 1878 and can see similar acts of ingratitude. Since the green line opened thousands of TCs come over to the south to work, they get full pension benefits, access to social welfare but still, not a word of appreciation. These are the people we are supposedly going into partnership with in a federal state!

Are we kidding ourselves?

YES YOU ARE!, because with garbage like above you prove that you are still a KID!

[Chimera]

May 2004 Cyprus joined the European Union and Cypriots on both sides of the fence celebrated.


...........And not one minor street or village square in the north was named after him, he was after all a Cypriot. are the people we are supposedly going into partnership with in a federal state!

Are we kidding ourselves?

Nikitas,

personally I would not give the Turks the right to NAME or (RENAME) any street or village square in the north.

That job is best left to the RoC.

[Nikitas]

Big Oz,

At my age being called a kid for any reason is a very pleasant feeling!

Seems that the point of honoring one of US, a fellow CYPRIOT, who literally worked his ass off to get us into the EU, was lost on most forum users. The entry of Cyprus into the EU was essentially this one man's vision and the result of his hard work. The Greek government gave its half hearted help but most did not believe Cyprus would make it.

Once we were safely installed in the EU then we got statemenst like the one from Mr Talat: "we are the true Europeans" implying that the other side is not. Is Mr Talat also a kid Big Oz?

[bigOz]

Big Oz,

At my age being called a kid for any reason is a very pleasant feeling!

Seems that the point of honoring one of US, a fellow CYPRIOT, who literally worked his ass off to get us into the EU, was lost on most forum users. The entry of Cyprus into the EU was essentially this one man's vision and the result of his hard work. The Greek government gave its half hearted help but most did not believe Cyprus would make it.

Once we were safely installed in the EU then we got statemenst like the one from Mr Talat: "we are the true Europeans" implying that the other side is not. Is Mr Talat also a kid Big Oz?

North is not exactly in the EU is it? Cyprus entering EU was not one man's vision but always a very distinct possibility - sure to happen sooner than later. Credit to anyone who worked for it and believed EU would be a good thing for Cyprus (or any other developed nation) - but I for one, like many others, am not too interested in EU partnership or what it brings along with it.

Cyprus already had a strong economy, strong international trade, and a strong currency before joining EU. Joining EU might have a political advantages in putting pressure on TCs to agree to GC terms for a solution, but other than that it will bring nothing else in real terms. You can kiss goodbye the Cyprus pound, start having EU bureaucrats telling you how (not) to make shish kebab for health and safety reasons, start taxing hard workers to create useless EU departments with astronomic expenses, kiss TP and Talat goodbye because a single president will replace all other countries presidents etc. etc.

And all that is supposed to carry on for a very long time, with no conflicting interests of the participant members? If you follow the news every time a new EU law is about to be introduced, you'll know exactly what I am talking about!

We can be astronauts, financial bankers, politicians, military personnel, or production managers whatever - but we all need to evaluate the size with the participants nature by looking at analogies in history. Take the Empires of the last 1000 years for example. Their existence rested on trade and income over vast areas occupied, for centuries (or less) until they broke up and dissolved - because of the ETHNIC DIVERSITY AND CONFLICTING INTERESTS!

EU is nothing but an attempt by Western Europe to create a modern Empire, and a Christian one at that! It is doomed to failure because its member states have not got rid of the nationalistic pride or identity. Neither has racism been wiped off the map (in most countries). The Church is a formidable political and financial power in most of the EU countries. Some founder members are finding fast expansion and new developments steering things off course, when compared to the original purposes of what used to be the "Common Market". Cracks are already appearing and just like any other Empire in the past, EU will also collapse in not so far distant future!

Read the news about UK public wanting to go for a referendum on the single EU presidency? Are you aware that UK is still strongly resisting ditching of the British pound note? Have you read about the immigration / employment quotas UK is starting to apply regarding workers from other EU countries? Who will worry about the Turkish settlers if you get an influx of 200,000 Poles entering Cyprus seeking work and probably ending up sunbathing on the beaches, whilst drawing unemployment benefit because there aren't enough jobs to go round? If Turkey is ever accepted to EU, what will be the reaction of Greece, if wealthy Turkish businessmen start buying all the land on the Greek islands a stone's throw away from Turkey?

My final point to you is - if there will ever be a lasting joint single federal European nation or empire, by the name of EU how many of the participants have or will ditch their national flags for the EU one that has been in circulation for many decades? Greece? UK? France?

Economic alliances can be made and and political partnerships can exist, but the state of Europe is nothing more than a flawed construction sitting on fast rotting foundations. Time will show!

[humanist]

Nikitas, The world has seen how many people cross from north to south everday and how many since three years ago and are recognising the facts as they are.

[Viewpoint]

Big Oz,

At my age being called a kid for any reason is a very pleasant feeling!

Seems that the point of honoring one of US, a fellow CYPRIOT, who literally worked his ass off to get us into the EU, was lost on most forum users. The entry of Cyprus into the EU was essentially this one man's vision and the result of his hard work. The Greek government gave its half hearted help but most did not believe Cyprus would make it.

Once we were safely installed in the EU then we got statemenst like the one from Mr Talat: "we are the true Europeans" implying that the other side is not. Is Mr Talat also a kid Big Oz?

North is not exactly in the EU is it? Cyprus entering EU was not one man's vision but always a very distinct possibility - sure to happen sooner than later. Credit to anyone who worked for it and believed EU would be a good thing for Cyprus (or any other developed nation) - but I for one, like many others, am not too interested in EU partnership or what it brings along with it.

Cyprus already had a strong economy, strong international trade, and a strong currency before joining EU. Joining EU might have a political advantages in putting pressure on TCs to agree to GC terms for a solution, but other than that it will bring nothing else in real terms. You can kiss goodbye the Cyprus pound, start having EU bureaucrats telling you how (not) to make shish kebab for health and safety reasons, start taxing hard workers to create useless EU departments with astronomic expenses, kiss TP and Talat goodbye because a single president will replace all other countries presidents etc. etc.

And all that is supposed to carry on for a very long time, with no conflicting interests of the participant members? If you follow the news every time a new EU law is about to be introduced, you'll know exactly what I am talking about!

We can be astronauts, financial bankers, politicians, military personnel, or production managers whatever - but we all need to evaluate the size with the participants nature by looking at analogies in history. Take the Empires of the last 1000 years for example. Their existence rested on trade and income over vast areas occupied, for centuries (or less) until they broke up and dissolved - because of the ETHNIC DIVERSITY AND CONFLICTING INTERESTS!

EU is nothing but an attempt by Western Europe to create a modern Empire, and a Christian one at that! It is doomed to failure because its member states have not got rid of the nationalistic pride or identity. Neither has racism been wiped off the map (in most countries). The Church is a formidable political and financial power in most of the EU countries. Some founder members are finding fast expansion and new developments steering things off course, when compared to the original purposes of what used to be the "Common Market". Cracks are already appearing and just like any other Empire in the past, EU will also collapse in not so far distant future!

Read the news about UK public wanting to go for a referendum on the single EU presidency? Are you aware that UK is still strongly resisting ditching of the British pound note? Have you read about the immigration / employment quotas UK is starting to apply regarding workers from other EU countries? Who will worry about the Turkish settlers if you get an influx of 200,000 Poles entering Cyprus seeking work and probably ending up sunbathing on the beaches, whilst drawing unemployment benefit because there aren't enough jobs to go round? If Turkey is ever accepted to EU, what will be the reaction of Greece, if wealthy Turkish businessmen start buying all the land on the Greek islands a stone's throw away from Turkey?

My final point to you is - if there will ever be a lasting joint single federal European nation or empire, by the name of EU how many of the participants have or will ditch their national flags for the EU one that has been in circulation for many decades? Greece? UK? France?

Economic alliances can be made and and political partnerships can exist, but the state of Europe is nothing more than a flawed construction sitting on fast rotting foundations. Time will show!

Great post...agree on the EU issue...they have 358 meetings and 600 lunches before they decide to buy a few pens let alone keep their promises.

[zan]

Big Oz,

At my age being called a kid for any reason is a very pleasant feeling!

Seems that the point of honoring one of US, a fellow CYPRIOT, who literally worked his ass off to get us into the EU, was lost on most forum users. The entry of Cyprus into the EU was essentially this one man's vision and the result of his hard work. The Greek government gave its half hearted help but most did not believe Cyprus would make it.

Once we were safely installed in the EU then we got statemenst like the one from Mr Talat: "we are the true Europeans" implying that the other side is not. Is Mr Talat also a kid Big Oz?

North is not exactly in the EU is it? Cyprus entering EU was not one man's vision but always a very distinct possibility - sure to happen sooner than later. Credit to anyone who worked for it and believed EU would be a good thing for Cyprus (or any other developed nation) - but I for one, like many others, am not too interested in EU partnership or what it brings along with it.

Cyprus already had a strong economy, strong international trade, and a strong currency before joining EU. Joining EU might have a political advantages in putting pressure on TCs to agree to GC terms for a solution, but other than that it will bring nothing else in real terms. You can kiss goodbye the Cyprus pound, start having EU bureaucrats telling you how (not) to make shish kebab for health and safety reasons, start taxing hard workers to create useless EU departments with astronomic expenses, kiss TP and Talat goodbye because a single president will replace all other countries presidents etc. etc.

And all that is supposed to carry on for a very long time, with no conflicting interests of the participant members? If you follow the news every time a new EU law is about to be introduced, you'll know exactly what I am talking about!

We can be astronauts, financial bankers, politicians, military personnel, or production managers whatever - but we all need to evaluate the size with the participants nature by looking at analogies in history. Take the Empires of the last 1000 years for example. Their existence rested on trade and income over vast areas occupied, for centuries (or less) until they broke up and dissolved - because of the ETHNIC DIVERSITY AND CONFLICTING INTERESTS!

EU is nothing but an attempt by Western Europe to create a modern Empire, and a Christian one at that! It is doomed to failure because its member states have not got rid of the nationalistic pride or identity. Neither has racism been wiped off the map (in most countries). The Church is a formidable political and financial power in most of the EU countries. Some founder members are finding fast expansion and new developments steering things off course, when compared to the original purposes of what used to be the "Common Market". Cracks are already appearing and just like any other Empire in the past, EU will also collapse in not so far distant future!

Read the news about UK public wanting to go for a referendum on the single EU presidency? Are you aware that UK is still strongly resisting ditching of the British pound note? Have you read about the immigration / employment quotas UK is starting to apply regarding workers from other EU countries? Who will worry about the Turkish settlers if you get an influx of 200,000 Poles entering Cyprus seeking work and probably ending up sunbathing on the beaches, whilst drawing unemployment benefit because there aren't enough jobs to go round? If Turkey is ever accepted to EU, what will be the reaction of Greece, if wealthy Turkish businessmen start buying all the land on the Greek islands a stone's throw away from Turkey?

My final point to you is - if there will ever be a lasting joint single federal European nation or empire, by the name of EU how many of the participants have or will ditch their national flags for the EU one that has been in circulation for many decades? Greece? UK? France?

Economic alliances can be made and and political partnerships can exist, but the state of Europe is nothing more than a flawed construction sitting on fast rotting foundations. Time will show!

Great post...agree on the EU issue...they have 358 meetings and 600 lunches before they decide to buy a few pens let alone keep their promises.

Agreed. Great post.

One thing though bigOz...Do you think they might want Turkey in to show them how to make an empire work for six hundred years

[the_snake_and_the_crane]

Byzantine Empire lasted 1,000