The Economic Crisis in Cyprus

As always, at this time of year, I'm jammed up with work. I'm not complaining, though. Unemployment has rocketed since 2011 and right now more than 50,000 people are out of work. In a small country of 700,000 this is dramatic!

Many people cannont buy their daily bread and some are homeless - fortunately not many! This is by far the worst economic crisis Cyprus has ever known since The Turkish Invasion in July 1974.

In the ensuing years, Cyprus managed to do wonders and build up a brilliant economy which bloomed and blossomed in the !980s and  1990s. The country continued to be prosperous - there were no homeless people and unemployment was practically nil. We would have never achieved this level of prosperity if Greece hadn't been the one and only country to support the CY pound then (now we have euros) soon after the Turkish Invasion.

 

When Greece faced a severe economic crisis in 2010, Cyprus was there for her. We are Greeks as well and felt we should be supporting financially the country which first saved us from complete occupation by the Turkish forces in 1974 and then greatly contributed to Cyprus's economic miracle. And  then, our banks collapsed. But we did our best to help Greece and that's what it boils down to.  Cyprus made an effort to support Greece in hard times - Greece our Saviour! And surely  that was the right thing to do.  But for Greece we would have never survived. It's like standing up for a great friend in hard times.

I am an optimist who sees the silver lining in every cloud. I'm sure that things will look up soon, for both Greece and Cyprus, and we will know better days.

What would you do if your best friend was in trouble?

     

Comments

[Stefania]

I also hope that better days will come soon. Now if a friend was in trouble, I would do my best to help if I could, I would be by my friend's side offering support and encouragement. After all that's what true friendship is for.

[Christina]

I'm afraid things are much worse in Greece. The crisis led many people to depression, some committed suicide, others were looking for something to eat in the garbage. And there are thousands of homeless people all over the country. The Greek people are really thankful for all the supplies in food, clothing and medication that Cyprus sent, although you also have your own problems. Good friends support each other in hard times.

[Constantinos T]

Anastasia, union makes the force!

[Jean-Paul Bouvier]

Depuis l'automne 2008, la France est confrontée à la plus grave crise économique qu'elle ait connue depuis un siècle. Face à cette crise internationale, la mobilisation des pouvoirs publics a été totale pour:
1. Soutenir le pouvoir d'achat des Français. Dès les premières semaines de la crise, un ensemble de mesures de solidarité ont été actées en faveur de 10 millions de ménages modestes: la suppression des 2e et 3e tiers provisionnels pour 2009 pour 5 millions de contribuables, le versement anticipé du RSA de 200€ en avril 2009 et une prime exceptionnelle de 150 € pour les familles modestes avec enfants. En 2009, malgré la crise, le pouvoir d'achat des Français a ainsi progressé de 2,1 %.

2. Lutter contre la hausse du chômage: dès le début de la crise, l'indemnisation du chômage partiel a été revue pour prévenir les licenciements économiques. Plus de 400000 salariés en ont bénéficié. Par ailleurs, 480000 contrats aidés ont également permis de maintenir en activité des personnes fragiles. Enfin, la suppression des charges pour les emplois créés dans les TPE a soutenu plus d'un million d'embauches depuis décembre 2008. Au total, les moyens que l'État a consacrés aux politiques de l'emploi ont atteint des niveaux inédits: plus de 13 Md€ en 2009. Ils seront maintenus à ce niveau pour 2012!

[Agnes]

I am an optimist too Anastasia and know things will get better.

[Anastasia]

I know they will but I'm afraid it will take time.
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