The EU: do you know what you’re getting into?

A SERIES of workshops and seminars is to be held in the coming weeks in an effort to raise awareness on the European Union ahead of accession next May.

The University of Cyprus and the European Institute of Cyprus have arranged the programme under the auspices of the Office of the Co-ordinator for Harmonisation and with the support of the Cyprus Council of the International European Movement.
Announcing the seminars at a news conference yesterday, programme co-ordinator Andreas Hadjoudes stressed the key objective was to inform the public what to expect when they joined the EU. “These seminars can be used as a tool for people, municipalities, communities, as well as specific societies and groups,” said Hadjoudes.
Theodoulos Charalambous, from the office of the Coordinator for Harmonisation, reinforced the message: “It is imperative that citizens know what we are getting into. The government and the EU harmonisation team want to inform people how accession to the EU will affect Cyprus.”

Dr Iosif Iosifides, from the Cyprus Council of the International European Movement, said statistics showed the public needed to be better informed. “As a movement we will try in many different ways to enlighten people,” said Iosifides.

“We also aim to inform the Turkish Cypriots of the EU. Everyone is welcome at the seminars and we hope they too will take part in EU programs to help them,” said Hadjoudes. “We have already been in contact with Turkish Cypriots and their response was a positive one.”

The first seminar takes place next Thursday, September 18, on the History of the EU at the Press and Information Office in Nicosia. The programme continues until the end of October. For more information, call 777879.

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