Cyprus-Forum.com

[pumpernickle]

I'm convinced that nobody in Cyprus has the faintest idea of what the EU is or what it does, let alone its significance in Cypriot politics and society.

And this annoys me. So much talk, so little...knowledge.

So the purpose of this thread is for people to add posts in possible disagreement, and I want peope to list or summarise their knowledge on the EU and what it means to Cyprus.

Please, be my guest, I want to see if anyone actually has a clue.

The floor is yours / anybody's.

[growuptcs]

The EU is more about economics than political. Its just European countries hetching together to form a spread out LEGAL alliance. With globalization growing rapid, member states are allowed to gain from this which will help their own economy and standard of living. Getting market value for exporting goods and more choice in products to buy.
Now, as Cypriots, we should be defending Cyprus to keep money in house for everyone who are Cypriots. TRNC, means we're not an independent country, and our money would be leaving the island to support another country and who knows what excuses they'll be using to dip into the funds whenever they want.
Thats what the real Cyprus problem is all about, not a religious one, and also trying to keep what Turkey stole. A peace operation doesn't mean forcing people out of their homes at gunpoint, and saying this is the only way for peace. So playing ignorant to the rest of the worlds human rights meaning, I can assure you, they're not ready to change the laws on behalf of what you believe is the only way forward.

[pumpernickle]

ok, so we have growuptcs with a post....and nobody else. Which leads me to conclude that the sparcity of knowledge on the subject, as suspected, is all pervasive.

Oh well. I suppose unless the health and safety inspectors have yet to disembark from the hallowed flight decks of their private jets fresh from Brussels, ready to close down a few God awful Salmanella infested hell kitchens. (And by God are there enough of them) then nobody is going to pay any attention to the EU let alone find out what it means.

Keep them standards down, that's the plan. That way no-one is disappointed! Everyone's a winner!

[bg_turk]

Free trade
Free movement
CAP - common agricultural policy - Germans paying French farmers

thats basically all there is to the EU. In terms of common foreign policy and common defense it is a complete failure.

[kalahari]

I can understand why Turkey wants to get into the EU – it must look like some kind of big grown up club with all the big rich nations in it. However, there is a general mood of distaste with the EU from the businessmen of the UK and Germany that I have spoken to – the burden of employee "Human rights" that employers have to bear has gone way out of whack with the level of responsibility that employees have to show. The consequence being that businessmen avoid employing people wherever possible – especially women of childbearing age who have so many rights they can wipe your business out overnight (with a cherubic smile and the full force of liberal political correctness behind them). It's interesting that Spain is one of the main opponents to Turkey joining the EU. They must be terrified that they will eventually be graduated to the status of "paying nation" – because at some stage they will have to be. I have wrestled with understanding the benefits of being in the EU for many years, but have come to the conclusion its primary objective is to give essesntially xenophobic European leaders a room that they can shout at each other in, and toys that they can snatch away from each other, without actually resorting to killing each other. And if it stops another war in Europe it's worth every hard-earned penny.

[cypezokyli]

perhaps its bc u r in the UK, bg_turk, but u forget sth more important :

1. €

2. despite the failure of the "constitution", what happens in the EU never happened in history before. states are willing giving up pieces of their power , their soverignhty , their self determination if u want!!!
when the CEB is allowed to decide on practically all monetary decisions, and sets limits on the fiscal decisions - then states have less power at least in the economical aspect of their policies. (and if economics determines politics )

3. in continuation to that, there is the supremacy of the EU law over the national law.

4. inderectly related to the EU (to the council of europe). the ECHR. even though human rights in europe, have not reached utopian level, its the best we have. bc, its the only place in the world that an individual can sue a state - usually his own. and in contrast to the ICJ, where both parties have to accept its ruling to have any effect , the ECHR does not need such condition. not to mention, that there is a compliance rate of the ECHR decisions of around 90% (with turkey and russia being the worst i believe) .
u know, what that means ? a court somewhere outside your country can come and tell you what you should do in your own country!!!


and all these when millions of lives have been wasted on the principle of selfdeterrmination

[kalahari]

cypezokyli has reminded me of a central problem with the EU.

When I go to Spain and Greece I see signs erected outside constructin projects announcing that this is being done with EU funding. That's great – of course it is, that's what the EU is meant to be for. The trouble is that when you're in the UK or Germany you never see these signs anywhere. That's because all these nations are doing is paying in. This is a big problem, because it quite naturally breeds resentment. The businessmen working at the coalface of the paying nations see very little tangible evidence of benefit for membership, and the Euro is presently (unfortunately) a not very successful experiment in economics. Any community that has at its core an underlying feeling of resentment surely cannot last. Because if the paying nations get fed up and pull out – what do you have left?

[cypezokyli]

i am not sure if thats a problem kalahari..
so long the money are not wasted or lost (like it happens often in greece) i believe its good.
despite the fact that the EU is a quite in favor of liberalisation, it has manage to take money from the rich countries and give them to he poorer - without not a single drop of blood beng shed .

thats an achievement as far as i am concrend

[simonp]

Kalahari,

We do have these "funded by EU" signs in UK & it really makes my blood boil!
If we didn't pay billions into the bottomless pit that is EU we could fund all these construction projects many times over plus modernise hospitals & reduce taxes.

All in favour of free trade but passionately opposed to rule by Brussels. We in UK should take the route of Norway, switzerland etc & come to a free trade agreement outside the EU.

Bad news for the Kinnocks & the Euro Parliament members who would lose their massive tax free salaries & expenses but good news for business & everyone else!

Sorry for the rant, just my opinion, it's off my chest now!

Simon.

[simonp]

And one other thing!

The effect of EU on prices. Things seem to have gone up an awful lot in Cyprus since EU membership & just wait what happens when euro arrives!