Cyprus-Forum.com

[cymart]

I saw recently an article which commented:
Whether it is ideal or not,the fact remains that since 1974 Cyprus has been relatively peaceful and further more,many people here enjoyed a standard of living here until very recently that was beyond their wildest dreams!More than a few in fact benefited from the division of the island,particularly those in the south who saw the value of their land in increase to incredible values and the abscence of Turkish Cypriots on this side was considered a blessing for them,rather than something abnormal,compared to the problems that they faced here before 1974.
Those who support a solution are in effect proposing that the same people should now agree to a change to a situation which has suited them very well for far longer than anything did previously,for something else which seems to be fraught with risks and complications,according to a vociferous mixture of politicians of varying beliefs and the church leadership,so why should they chose to vote in favour of it???
This is the question which the government needs to ask itself as quite frankly it has done nothing to convince the people here why and how they would benefit from the federal solution now being discussed?
The only ones who would support it are those who would be able to return to their properties or might get compensation and these are in the minority after so many years while for the remainder they do not see how they would gain at all and many probably perceive,mistakenly of course, that that their personal interests would be damaged just to help others!
For as number of years many Greek-Cypriots have been living beyond their means economically and are now beginning to feel the effects of the recession.By nature they are a race fraught with phobias and insecurities and being confronted with a referendum again at such a time is not likely to win their consent for anything which sounds even remotely risky!Given the attitude of much of the media here it will only add fuel to the fire.Most people have no time or interest for politics and can easily be manipulated-this is why the whole idea of holding a referendum should be reconsidered and the political leadership should instead take the responsibility for implementing whatever solution is found during the coming months...

[SKI-preo]

No shit sherlock. If you have an island cut into a 60/40 split ,a slab is taken by a former colonial power, then the piece remaining will be more valuable as there is less people can sell legally. The ethnically cleansed from the 37% taken away have no way of keeping up with inflation of land in the free areas. Land in the free areas that was once a worthless goat track in 1974 is now worth millions,while sea front land in Kyrenia worth squillions back then is being chopped up and "sold" by Ex Turkish Army officers to carpet baggers at $22,000 a unit. You have a 2 speed land economy. For the refugee the gear engaged is negative. The Keriniotes cop it again.