EUROPE: Cyprus ready to absorb no-deal Brexit shock

Cyprus has taken the necessary measures to address the repercussions of a possible undesirable disorderly Brexit, government Spokesman Prodromos Prodromou  when asked about the possibility of the UK leaving the EU without a deal on October 31.

He said the Council of Ministers has taken decisions related to various fields that will be affected by Brexit, "with a view to be prepared for such negative scenario".

He noted that the position of the Cyprus government as well as of the whole EU is that what is desired and needed is to have an agreement. "A UK withdrawal without an agreement will be detrimental.”

Moreover he said Nicosia’s position is identical with the EU position that the agreement that has been achieved through difficult and long negotiations is the one which must be put into force and there is no possibility for any other agreement. 

“We hope that prudence and rational thinking will prevail and that the new British government and Brussels will reach a consensus…even in the undesirable case of a disordered Brexit, which appears a possibility, the government has taken the necessary measures.”

Prodromou said the agreement reached between the Republic of Cyprus and the UK, in the framework of the general UK-EU agreement is a good one both for Britons living in Cyprus and Cypriots living in the UK, as well as for the relations between the two countries, given the fact that there are British Bases in Cyprus.

In case that there is no general agreement, the goal will be for this bilateral agreement to apply.

Prodromou assured British people living in Cyprus and Cypriots living in the UK that the government has been working so that they will not be negatively affected by any developments related to Brexit.