THE CABINET has decided that repatriated boys returning to Cyprus between the ages of 10 and 12 would serve an 18 month National Guard term instead of the usual 26 month service.
Previously, male children who returned to Cyprus by the age of twelve were required to do the full military service, while those who return between the ages of 13 and 17 are required to do 12 months, those aged 18 to 25 did six months and those 26 to 50 years old, three months.
According to an announcement yesterday, Thursday’s Cabinet meeting also led to a decision to extend subsidies to cover the private secondary education fees of children of Cypriot women and foreign husbands.
The fee subsidies had previously only been provided for children of Cypriot descent form the male line, something Repatriate organisations deemed blatant discrimination.
The £450 subsidy followed a December 17 1999 Cabinet decision and applies to children who, from the start of their immigration, began their education at a private high school recognised by the Education Ministry.
Applicants should be of Cypriot descent, hold Cypriot nationality or be eligible for it having moved back to the Republic after having permanently settled overseas for a period of at least the 10 years before their repatriation.
Interested parties should apply to the Education Ministry, with a copy sent to the Office of the President’s Commissioner for Expatriate and Repatriate Issues.
Commenting on the changes to the Cyprus Mail yesterday, Kikis Christofides, the chairman of the Association for expatriate and Repatriate UK Cypriots said, "The things that changed were to our benefit, but we still are demanding more."
"They are now offering some money to those going to high school but not primary school and we say `yes its good that they are offering this amount of money, but we demand that these young children have financial benefits as well’. You understand everybody who comes here and does not understand Greek has to go to an English speaking school so therefore their parents have to pay money."
On the military service front, Christofides said that his Association had been satisfied by the change and was now demanding for married repatriated men with families to be allowed to leave the army in the afternoons and overnight.
Christofides said that his Association would be meeting on April 10 to discus progress made on repatriate problems and identify other areas where difficulties were experienced.
The Association can be contacted through Christofides at 02-313896, during office hours. The Association also assists Cypriot repatriates and expatriates from countries other than the UK.
