18/02/2019 16:38
Cypriots say they are satisfied with their lives but they do not trust political parties, the national analysis of the Autumn Eurobarometer shows.
According to the results, which were presented on Monday in Nicosia by Head of the European Commission Representation in Cyprus, Ierotheos Papadopoulos, 85% of Cypriots said they were satisfied with their lives compared with an EU average of 83%. The Irish are the most satisfied in Europe (97%) and the Greeks are the most unsatisfied with only 49% of Greeks replying they were satisfied with their lives, the survey found.
ln addition, compared to six months ago, there is a slight increase of 3% of Cypriots’ confidence in the European Union, which now reaches 41%. However, 52% of Cypriots (EU average: 48%) still say that they do not trust the EU.
Papadopoulos said that the positive image of Cypriot citizens vis-à-vis the EU has increased compared to the beginning of 2018, adding that Cypriots "are more positive, they show greater confidence in the EU, they are more optimistic about the future of Europe."
According to the Eurobarometer, Cypriots say they are optimistic about the future of the EU, (53%, -1% since Spring 2018), which is, however, lower than the European average (58%).
More than 70% of participants in the survey believe that the interests of their country are not well taken into account in the EU (74%, + 9%, EU28: 43%), which is the second highest in the EU after Greece. However, 59% of Cypriots say they do not believe their country could face the future challenges better outside the EU (+ 3%, EU28: 61%).
Most important issues that their country is facing at the moment are the economic situation (39%, -10% from Spring 2018, second highest in the EU after Greece, EU28: 15%) and unemployment (32%, -8%, fifth highest in the EU, EU28: 23%), they said, while they stated that most important issues that the EU is faced with at present (for both Cypriots and Europeans) are immigration (52%, + 11% from Spring 2018, EU28: 40%, + 2%), terrorism (26% , -18%, EU28: 20%, -9%), as well as the economic situation (22%, -4%, EU28: 18%).
According to the survey the issues that are of particular concern to the Turkish Cypriots are the rise in prices, taxation, unemployment and, more generally, the economic situation. The confidence in the European Union among the Turkish Cypriot community is 52%, which is higher than the EU average (42%) and 41% in the areas controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus.
A large percentage (84%) of Cypriots do not trust political parties, 67% do not trust the House of Representatives and 63% do not trust the government (11% and 17% more than in the spring of 2018). They mostly place their trust in the army (61%) and the police (52%).