Emigration…or state job preferred by young Cypriots

THE VAST majority of young Cypriots would leave the country if they had the chance, a survey by the University of Nicosia has shown, although given a choice, almost as many would opt for a job in the civil service.

According to the results of the survey, a staggering 87.3 per cent of Greek Cypriot youths – almost nine in ten – would readily leave Cyprus.

The main reasons cited were a better quality of life and increased employment options.

Even in Greece, which is currently implementing stringent austerity measures in a bid to conform to EU targets for controlling public debt and deficit, the figure was much lower at 73.6 per cent.

In addition, 58 per cent of Cypriots and 73 per cent of Greeks feel corruption in the public sector has cost their countries financially.

And 60 per cent of Cypriot youths as well as 71.8 per cent of Greek youths stated that they didn’t trust any of the political parties and felt that state corruption was responsible for  the country’s financial problems.

In Cyprus, of the few who said they did trust a political party, 13.3 per cent prefer opposition DISY and 12 per cent ruling AKEL.

Asked if they were interested in working in the public sector, 78.6 per cent of Greek Cypriots  – nearly eight in ten – said “definitely yes” and “maybe yes”.  The corresponding figure for Greece was only 43.3 per cent.

Asked what they would do if they were unemployed, 38.3 per cent of Greek Cypriots said they would work anywhere, just so long as the job was well-paid, stable and relative to their studies. Some 22 per cent of Greeks said the same.

The main problem in the labour market, respondents said, was the fact that it was “closed and inflexible”, according to 40.5 per cent of Cypriots, while 43 per cent of Greeks felt the main issue was a weakness in connecting the employment market with the educational system.