Cyprus-Forum.com

[supporttheunderdog]

Probably a lower standard of living with reduced job opportunities.

In my view Enosis as envisaged as late as 1974, (and even by some today) involving politican union with Greece would have been an economic disaster for Cyprus and most Cypriots since it would have lead to reduced employment opportunities, particularly in the Government and Service Industry segments. There would be knock on effects on retailing, etc.
1) Inevitibly Government would be run from Athens: I cannot see Millions of Greeks allowing less than 10% of their number to have an equal say in how things are done - it is worse that the 80/20 or so situation in Cyprus. However that has two immediate consequences.
(a) most main ministry functions and all the support staff that goes with them (mostly based in Nicosia) would not have existed Cyprus - the number of civil service jobs would certainly be reduced and most those that remain would probably be mostly at the lower clerical levels.
(b) Tax revenues would inevitably leach from Cyprus to pay for the Athens based civil servants, and we would be paying for it at Greek tax rates.

All of this would have a cascade effect on the local economy as out of the wages they earn the civil servants spend money in local buinessess - if the wages are being earned in Athens then the Athenian shops benefit and eg Nicosia buisnesses loose out.
(c) as a third main consequence Cyprus would loose control over spending on vital Cypriot infrastructure projects, eg Hospitals and Schools, Highways etc. as the funds would need to be authorised from Athens in competition to demand from the rest of Greece.

2) there would probably be fewer jobs in other state entities eg RiK , Cyta, EAC, etc, as again the HQ jobs would probably be run from Athens - see above.

3) Few major financial / commercial institutions would have significant major offices in Cyprus - in particular the headquarters jobs would be in Athens. That would complement the effect of fewer public service jobs in Cyprus as out of the wages they earn the bankers and insurance people etc., spend money in local buinessess - again if the wages are being earned in Athens then the Athenian shops benefit and eg Nicosia buisnesses loose out.

4)Cyprus has been able to attract offshore business in away I do not think Greece has - this contributes to tax revenues and job creation.

5) We would still have public service and financial services jobs but I suspect fewer and those at the lower end of the pay-grade. Take out these jobs that move to Athens and jobs in other industries suffer eg Contruction, retailing: I cannot see major retailers investing here as they have. That again reduces the job market. However what we be left with? A greater reliance on Tourism and Agriculture, neither of which are great payers: we would have some local light enginering and other local maunfacturing, but they too would probably be at a lower number. The Disapora would probably be larger as faced with less opportunity many of the Go getters would probabaly get up and go.

But then no doubt the apologists for Enosis would say it does not matter - these are fellow Greeks.....

[Cap]

Dark ages.

[wyoming cowboy]

Enosis is not an issue today, Cyprus has enosis, union, with the Eu and Greece...why keep harping on something that noone thinks about?

[Piratis]

I answered your question many times before, didn't I?

Substitute Athens with London, and Cyprus with Liverpool, Manchester, Belfast or any other UK territory and the result is exactly the same (and you can do the same with every other country, since all countries have just one capital)

For example, why does Liverpool need to be part of the United Kingdom, and not be a separate state on its own, like Luxemburg? GDP per capita in London is €35.000, while in Liverpool is just €16.000. The people of Liverpool are obviously getting screwed. On the other hand GDP per capita in Luxemburg is €65.000. Taking it a step further, why is there a need for a United Kingdom anyway? Are the non London British people idiots? Why should they be ruled by London instead of being independent and reap all the benefits of being a separate state?

The answer is simple really: Power is in unity. The bigger the country, the more powerful, the more able to protect itself. If each territory in Britain was a separate country then chances are that by now half of Britain would be taken by the French and the other half by the Germans. I am sure the people of Liverpool would rather be ruled by an English government, even if this government is situated in a different English city, rather than being ruled by Berlin or Paris.

The same is true for Cyprus. What Enosis would mean to the average Cypriot is Freedom. If enosis was achieved when we asked for it (in the 50s) today there would be no occupation, no Turkish settlers, no refugees and no Cyprus Problem. Just like is the case in Rhodes (which achieved enosis in 1948), Crete, or any other Greek island or territory. Plus, with the addition of Cyprus the Greek nation would be a much more powerful one, not just because of the additional population and territory, but also because Greece would be a major player in Middle East. (which is why Turkey and the UK did everything they could to prevent this from happening)

It is quite ridiculous somebody who is flying the flag of the United Kingdom to come and ask us why we wanted our own nation to be united as well. Heck, the United Kingdom is one country that encompasses 4 different nations, and then you are asking why we wanted our one nation to be united in one country?

[supporttheunderdog]

so why does Greek Island Girl not call herself Cyprus Girl? She promotes Cyprus as a part of Greece
[url}http://www.cyprus-forum.com/cyprus36970-10.html?hilit=enosis#p706574[/url]
http://www.cyprus-forum.com/cyprus37424-40.html?hilit=enosis#p711635
And what about Sotos, Kurupetos, Piratis, Yialouser1971,et al - have they abandoned the idea of political union with Greece? Let them come out and say clearly and without any equivocation that they believe in a truly independant RoC, (save for EU treaty obligations) and have no desire for political union with Greece.

Indeed would evreyone on this forum be prepared to come out a proclaim(save for those solely imposed by EU treaties) an end to calls for any union with any other country: if not, why not?

[humanist]

Thank God Enosis is now a historical event that was not successful in-fact lead to the destruction of Cyprus and it's people. Having said that the majority have walked proud worked hard and they have a reasonably healthy lifestyle amongst Europeans.

[Piratis]

Cyprus IS a Greek island, regardless if Cyprus is part of the Greek Republic or not. There are are several Arab countries, several Slavic countries, and two Hellenic countries, Republic of Greece and Republic of Cyprus.

Beyond that, what we do with our own island is non of your business, since you are a foreigner. It is our own island, and we have the right to do with it whatever we want.

In the 50s we wanted union with the rest of Greece, it was our right, but our rights were violated by foreign Imperialists who imposed their will by force and against the wish of the vast majority of Cypriots, giving to Cyprus some pseudo independence, with foreign "guarantors", foreign bases, foreign made constitution that was racist and undemocratic, foreign judges of the supreme court etc etc. If a true independence was given back then I assure you that there would be almost nobody today who would remember of enosis. But unfortunately what the foreign imperialists wanted was not an independent Cyprus, but some Banana Republic that they would be able to control and abuse.

Under the circumstances today most Cypriots do not want union with the rest of Greece and neither do I. But if tomorrow, next year, in a decade or in a century the Cypriot people (not you) deem that such union will be in our interests, then we will again have every right for it. Do you have a problem with Cypriots democratically choosing the destiny of their own island?

[Sotos]

not another enosis thread!!

And what about Sotos, Kurupetos, Piratis, Yialouser1971,et al - have they abandoned the idea of political union with Greece? Let them come out and say clearly and without any equivocation that they believe in a truly independant RoC, (save for EU treaty obligations) and have no desire for political union with Greece.

Piratis gave you the best answer. Enosis is an option. Not an option we currently choose or even consider... but with Cyprus being a Greek island enosis will always be an option.

[bill cobbett]

not another enosis thread!!

And what about Sotos, Kurupetos, Piratis, Yialouser1971,et al - have they abandoned the idea of political union with Greece? Let them come out and say clearly and without any equivocation that they believe in a truly independant RoC, (save for EU treaty obligations) and have no desire for political union with Greece.

Piratis gave you the best answer. Enosis is an option. Not an option we currently choose or even consider... but with Cyprus being a Greek island enosis will always be an option.

Yes, this Enosis business is being worked and worked to death. As Piratis says very, very few want it, prob no one outside the EDAM nutters.

We really do give it a significance it hasn't had for decades and play in to the hands of the Turkish Partitionists with all this boring and endless talk about it.

Oh and ... even a flipping foreigner can say that Enosis and Taksim are only options if they meet the specifications of the CY Constitution, the existing one or any future one... and they don't ...and won't.

[Schnauzer]

I think much would depend upon the determination of just how one would describe an 'Average Cypriot'.

Currently, it is a matter of whom the one who considers him/herself to be 'Greek Cypriot' and the one who considers him/herself to be 'Turkish Cypriot' feels more closely affiliated to, Greece or Turkey?.

Naturally (again currently) the unfortunate 'Political and Military' division that has been foisted upon the people of Cyprus, is bound to create a situation which renders the question posed almost impossible to answer.

Leaving aside the questions of 'Fairness' and 'Unfairness', the ONLY outcome of such a union, MUST result in another 'Springboard' for the 'Average Cypriot' to launch further abusive verbal attacks upon each other.

That is how 'Politics' works, ultimately the desires of the 'Average Cypriot' is of no consequence to either the 'Military or Political' leaders, therefore 'NOTHING' is what 'Enosis' might mean, actually it has always been like that for the 'Average Cypriot'. (imho)