One In Five Cypriots Would Reject EU Accession, Poll Reveals

by Lorys Charalambous, Tax-News.com, Cyprus

24 September 2002

A new poll commissioned by the Chief Negotiator's office has revealed that one in five Cypriots are opposed to EU accession.

However, speaking to the Cyprus Weekly news service this week, Costas Paschalis, head of the negotiating team for the accession of Cyprus to the European Union chose to focus on the good news - namely that according to the results of the survey, some 75% support Cyprus's EU accession bid.

'The poll shows that the overwhelming majority support Cyprus's EU accession,' he announced, explaining that the reasons given by respondents for their opposition to the move - such as worries over increasing unemployment, economic difficulties, fears for the country's small businesses, and concerns about increases in the cost of living - demonstrated a lack of knowledge with regard to membership of the European bloc which will hopefully be addressed by the government's planned £300,000 public information campaign.

'Doubtless these replies show that with the correct information, which will prove that none of these fears are founded, these views will change,' Mr Paschalis told the Cyprus Weekly.

The poll of 1,004 Cyprus residents in July also showed that high income groups are more optimistic about EU accession than lower income earners, and that it is believed by many (76%) that big business will benefit most from European Union membership, whilst only a small percentage of respondents (19% and 18% respectively), believe that employers and rural areas will see substantial positive change.

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