Cyprus-Forum.com

[Pyrpolizer]

I DONT BELIEVE IT!

I just spent an hour and a half writing such a good post but lost the whole lot by pressing preview, not noticing the ethernet cable had accidentaly been pulled out!!!

When I came back it just gave me a blank canvas!!!

Coming from you T-C that makes me sorry too.
I mean I would be glad if that happened to someone else-no need to tell names.

[Nikitas]

"The only immediate difference the solution will make in my life would be watching the Southerners move in, and I don't want to see any more Greeks around me then i already do, is that really selfish?"

Is that not a bit racist? Not liking people for what they are, rather than what they do? Not to mention that these Southerners have patrimony in the area in question sstretching back a looooong time. This kind of attitude enrages and leads to counter thoughts such as "wait it out, our turn will come" and back to square one.

As far as the grim picture Pyor paints I think he is forgetting that Cyprus is a small place and improving roads make it smaller every day. You can be in your property literally in minutes and you can use it, no matter where you live on the island. Use it in this sense may mean , for instance, using your fields in Akanthou to start a greenhouse while you live in Dali. And this kind of property use will help the economy in the north.

As for Famagusta, it is potentially one of the largest civil engineering projects in the Mediterranean region. Not even after WWII has anyone reconstructed a whole city for 40-50000 people from scratch. It will be the biggest project Cyprus has ever known. The majority of workers will by necessity be TCs. The reconstruction will be the fastest way to bring TC wages up to par to GC and this will be financed by GC money. IT all depends on how we manage the reconstruction.

[Pyrpolizer]

Thats a pretty 'grim' picture you paint Pyro. I for one would not mind having my home next to a GC (or vice versa). Saying kalimeras everymorning with a smile and expect the same. Having lived in the UK since 1964, next door to the dredges of society in some instances, and in some instances next to the nicest people , who happened to be GCs, I can do this in my HOME land - Cyprus. I would find it easy. Some, will not and it will take many years. As mentioned before, expats of both communities would be a good example to living in a mixed society. They have had the experience. I wonder what percentage of GC and TCs would like to return to their properties, if possible? (after restoration ofcourse) Admin and politics , I leave to experts to sort.

In my neighbourhood I say Kalimera to nobody simply because there is nobody. They are all rich living abroad and coming only for some holidays in the summer. There is only one foreign woman living with her foreign mate and 2 children RENTING one of those houses paying a hell of money for rent. That woman is from the ex-soviet block.
What the hell is that woman doing in Cyprus, how is she allowed to stay, who's the father of those children (the one 12 years older than the other)?? How can she afford to pay such a high rent without working and without even having a husband?

These were my questions in the begining. In the end my friend I learned the first child belongs to her ex-husband from the eastern block. The younger one to another Cypriot husband. Who her Cypriot husband is and why is he coming here only for a few hours a week and then leaves?? He is from the underground society, a man who by just looking at, you feel scared. One of those who are involved in all sorts of illegal activities. The reason he has his "family" living away from him is because he himelf is afraid of his life-other criminals/competitors might plant him a bomb. It happens all the time in Cyprus with those people.

So in short, I would prefer 100 times more to have a TC normal family living next to me, than these scum. Every time that criminal comes here my heart is beating that they would plant him a bomb....

[Kikapu]

Every time that criminal comes here my heart is beating that they would plant him a bomb....

Pyro, just make sure that you do not drive the same model and colour car as this shady character, as not to have mistakes made.

We really do not want to read a new thread from you called the "Great Balls of Fire".

[shahmaran]

I DONT BELIEVE IT!

I just spent an hour and a half writing such a good post but lost the whole lot by pressing preview, not noticing the ethernet cable had accidentaly been pulled out!!!

When I came back it just gave me a blank canvas!!!

Gardaccim dont you use Firefox?

[CopperLine]

Pyropolizer
I agree with virtually all your characterisation of the way things would pan out if there was a resolution of the Cyrpus problem, particularly if that took the form of a federal, non-communal, state.

I think, for example, that you are right to point out the distributive effects which would favour the already-rich and penalise the already-poor. I also think that you are right to point out the real problems of the different tax regime between north and south, and the difficulties of harmonising those regimes within an EU-compliant tax regime. Having said that, a federal solution may leave considerable discretion for the two different entities to organise local taxation in different ways.

Another point that you raise is the expected rate of population return, and from where and made up of what kinds of people/background. For example, assuming some acceptable settlement, do we really expect many people - say second generation non-Cyprus born - to 'return' ? If so, in the first year post-settlement ? In the second year ? By the fifth year ? And will these numbers be in the tens, hundreds or thousands ? I just don't know, and I just don't know how one might go about estimating the rate of return.

[Pyrpolizer]

Thanks Copperline, after all we usually understand each other quite well in this forum.

The matter of how many people will return is indeed an issue. For the moment all I can tell for sure is that there is a certain percentage of refugees, say about 5% who will return for sentimental reasons/attachment to their hometown/village. At the same time there is a multiple times bigger percentage that say, they are settled to where they are now, and will never move back. The vast majority however say they will simply wait and see, and maybe just maybe return some day or forget all about it.

If I could draw an analogy how easy is it for you (assuming your roots are from Turkey or Cyprus) to abandon England and settle back to your hometown in Turkey or Cyprus? The same thing is for refugees (GCs and TCs)

[denizaksulu]

Thanks Copperline, after all we usually understand each other quite well in this forum.

The matter of how many people will return is indeed an issue. For the moment all I can tell for sure is that there is a certain percentage of refugees, say about 5% who will return for sentimental reasons/attachment to their hometown/village. At the same time there is a multiple times bigger percentage that say, they are settled to where they are now, and will never move back. The vast majority however say they will simply wait and see, and maybe just maybe return some day or forget all about it.

If I could draw an analogy how easy is it for you (assuming your roots are from Turkey or Cyprus) to abandon England and settle back to your hometown in Turkey or Cyprus? The same thing is for refugees (GCs and TCs)

You can certainly say that again Pyro. I am nearing retirement age and wish to live my retiring years in 'peaceful' Cyprus. It will be so difficult to leave the grandchildren behind in the UK. Every now and then I give up the idea. At the moment I am in a 'six months here and six months Cyprus' situation. Last year it was 3 mnths a time. There must be many thousands in the diaspora in the same situation. Everyday I re3ad of a GC or TC 'going back' home I am full of envy, yet I wonder who have they left behind. Lifes a b*tch.

[Pyrpolizer]

Every time that criminal comes here my heart is beating that they would plant him a bomb....

Pyro, just make sure that you do not drive the same model and colour car as this shady character, as not to have mistakes made.

We really do not want to read a new thread from you called the "Great Balls of Fire".

Well that would be easy IF he was driving the same car all the time. He changes cars perhaps every week or month. From expensive cars like Porche to cheap Japanese jeeps.

You should have seen that ugly skin head, how many precautions he takes before deciding to step out of the car...

Hey Kikapu, If "Great Balls of Fire" is ever on stage, I will be watching it live, whereas you will be waiting for the DVD. Now who is more lucky here?

[CopperLine]

As well as Cyprus, I know what goes on in other parts of the world regarding the call of the 'old country'. As an economist we can see the difference between willingness-to-pay and willingness-to-accept. Lots of people say that the old country is their real home, say that they would really like to return, say that the old country is the most important thing to them; but what they actually do is stay in the 'new' country to the Nth generation. I'm not doubting the sincerity of those claims about the old country, I'm just drawing the distinction between those who vote with their sentiments and those who vote with their feet. A settled Cyprus would, in the end, have to practically deal only with those who vote with their feet.