Eurobarometer: Cypriots satisfied with life on the whole

According to a press release issued by the European Commission Representation in Cyprus, the results of the survey indicated that, while 82% of Greek Cypriots were satisfied – with 32% saying they were very satisfied which is the sixth highest percentage in the EU -the same did not apply for the Turkish Cypriot community.

In the Turkish Cypriot community, 57% said they were satisfied, a drop of 7% compared to the previous survey, a percentage much lower than the average EU of 78%.

Furthermore, the Greek Cypriots were more positive about the island's economy compared to the European and global economy, with 33% believing that the Cypriot economy was good, compared to 28% that thought that the European economy was good, while only 13% believed that the global economy was good.

Regarding the future, half of the Turkish Cypriots believe that there would not be major changes in their lives and the household budget over the next 12 months. The same applies to the Greek Cypriots, with 54% believing that there would not be significant changes and 57% believing that the household budget would remain unchanged over the next 12 months.

Concerning the most important issues faced by Cyprus at the moment, the Greek Cypriots noted unemployment and the financial situation. The same applied for the Turkish Cypriot community.

The Cyprus problem, the significance of which withered after 2007, seemed to have gained importance during the second half of 2010.

Regarding the common currency, 41% of Greek Cypriots said the Euro had softened the consequences of the financial crisis, compared to the EU average of 39%.

Furthermore, 57% of Turkish Cypriots believed that the implementation of the acquis communautaire would benefit the Turkish Cypriot community, 25% said it would not, while 18% said they did not have an opinion on the matter.