Cypriot confidence on a high but down on Europe

OVER 85 per cent of Greek Cypriots are satisfied with their lives while 79 per cent of Turkish Cypriots say they are satisfied, according to the latest Eurobarometer survey, which shows the EU average satisfaction level at 80 per cent.

Thirty five per cent of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots are ‘very satisfied’ with their lives but when it comes to non-satisfaction slightly more Turkish Cypriots appear to be less happy.
Around 20 per cent said they were not very happy or not at all happy compared to 14 per cent of Greek Cypriots who said the same.

The Eurobarometer showed that 41 per cent of those asked believe that Cyprus’ accession to the EU was a good step, 19 per cent said it was not good and 38 per cent said it was neither good nor bad.

Surprisingly 53 per cent felt that Cyprus has not benefited from EU accession but 39 per cent said the island had benefited.

“Cypriots remain the most critical,” said the report.

When it came to future enlargement, support has also dropped since the previous report in the Spring. Support for Turkey’s accession dropped three per cent to 39 per cent on average among the EU15, and ten per cent to 38 per cent among the new member states.

“In six of the ten New Member States support there is now less outright support for enlargement. In Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia and Cyprus, this translates into increased levels of opposition, while in Estonia, Malta, Slovakia and Poland people now appear less certain of their views towards further enlargement,” said the survey.

Cypriots however top the list in terms of support for a common EU defence policy with 88 per cent compared to an EU average of 77 per cent. They also top the list in their support of a common EU foreign policy at 81 per cent compared to the EU average of 68 per cent.

Half of Cypriots felt their personal finances would stay the same over the next 12 months, but nearly 40 per cent thought theirs would get worse. An optimistic 18 per cent felt theirs would improve.

But over 60 per cent thought the economy would get worse in the next year. Only nine per cent thought it would improve.

Asked what was the most important thing they have to face 44 per cent said higher prices, followed by crime and then the economy.
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The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.