By Andreas C Chrysafis
Many people would make New Year’s resolutions and hardly any of them will be kept or come to fruition. One may say, “so be it”. And so, life goes on full of broken promises. In fact Cypriot citizens are drowned by such promises that never materialize:
The EU promised us prosperity and employment when Cyprus joined the EU institution; the Euro promised us currency stability and low interest rates once we dumped the pound; the United Nations resolutions promised us hope to rid of the Turkish invaders of our country; the Guarantor powers – Britain, Greece and Turkey – promised us protection; instead, they have turned the island into a pizza with everyone anxious to grab a slice; since the discovery of gas America is also on the scene sniffing for a slice and promises “security” if Cyprus joins NATO and distances its links with Russia.
In fact, actions speak louder than words and our politicians (shamefully) have also played a dastardly role by failing in their duty to serve those same people that have elected them into office. In its place, they have allowed the infestation of corruption to grow and turned a blind eye to banking fraud that shattered peoples’ dreams. Worse of all, they approved the inconceivable: allowed the current government to rob peoples’ bank accounts on the sly!
That decision brought economic ruin to the nation and grim poverty in return for poison loans from IMF EU-Troika. Sad to say, they have not finished with us yet; people will soon be losing their homes and facing homelessness.
Meanwhile, there is no end to the charade and spin. One would say: enough of empty promises and lies! Yet, it’s quite extraordinary how Cypriots remained silent all those years without speaking out in demand for their rights. What happened to the Cypriot spirit of defiance? Obviously muzzled!
Thankfully, the Revolution of the Mind has begun and people now do call for that one illusive justice that has eluded them for so long. The elections in Greece this month might undoubtedly change all that and bring a new hope for Greece and also tell IMF EU-Troika to pack its bags. The final decision by the Greek people would certainly influence citizens in Cyprus.
Greece’s exit from the Euro is more likely than unlikely and will trigger a domino effect on other member states to dump the Euro. In fact, that will not be a bad thing! It will serve as a massive shake up of the European Union and possibly revert it back to its original honorable idea: a European Economic Common Market of independent sovereign nations and not to cower under the current EU supranational corporation controlled by a horde of inglorious, unelected and unaccountable politicians.
However, the gravest area of concern across Europe, Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus – aside from the brutal fundamental “Islamic State” – is the Erdogan/Davudoglu Neo-Ottomanism obsession for a greater Sunni imperial Turkey. If successful, secular Turkey will vanish forever! In fact there is much to worry, mainly because both leaders cannot be trusted and are also sympathetic to the IS Jihadists and Sunni Hamas terrorist organisation – the latter have recently being given permission and set up headquarters in Ankara.
This is where Cyprus needs to rise above its minnow and bleeping status, show leadership and become the brave little David that toppled Goliath. By using international law Cyprus can isolate Turkey to no ends. Of course that will demand a long-term plan of action, which Cypriots have not experienced as yet.
Wishful thinking however does not produce results but actions do. So, let’s wish that the New Year would be a hopeful year and endow people with the spirit to demand truth and resist empty promises from politicians with forked-tongues.
