The grass is greener on the other side of the fence

An EU citizen has been denied unemployment benefit in Cyprus because he didn’t do his National Service, Footsteps has been told. 

Let’s call him A.  He’s in his early-mid 30s, we estimate.  Anglo-Cypriot: a male British citizen born and raised in the UK of emigre Greek-Cypriot parents.  Because of his parents' ethnicity and because he happens to be born a man and is now resident in Cyprus (it does not apply to women), A. is still eligible for compulsory military service in Cyprus according to the law, but he has not done this for his own reasons.   

The Cypriot authorities have never chased him up on it.  A. says he has travelled freely to and from Cyprus on numerous occasions despite the rule that all Cypriot boys or those of Cypriot descent between the ages of 15 and 26 are supposed to have an MoD exit permit before travelling (just in case they go AWOL).  

Perhaps A. slipped through the net because of his British passport, although he still has a Greek-Cypriot surname.  Or maybe the passport control guys at Larnaca airport just didn’t bother. 

After completing a university degree, A. says he worked for several employers in Cyprus, legally, and paid national insurance contributions for a number of years.  Unfortunately, he was made redundant and has been unsuccessful at finding another job in Cyprus for the last 3 years or so.  

His live-in girlfriend, also Anglo-Cypriot in her mid-30s, was also made redundant and has been unable to find other work here.  

They are financially dependent on their parents, but at 30-something, that's not great for the morale.  Nor is it a life.  Nor can their biological parents support them forever.  

When A. went to Social Insurance Services in Cyprus to see if he could claim unemployment benefit, he was asked for his National Guard release papers.  

He was told: no army service – no benefits. 

Is that legal under EU law?  

Is it fair?  

We know unemployment benefit rules in Cyprus are quite stringent – it is nowhere near as easy to claim benefits here as in Britain, say – but it seems slightly skewy that hundreds of other EU nationals in Cyprus are able to get state help while someone who has worked lawfully, paid taxes and is of Cypriot descent cannot.  

All because he hasn’t done his bit playing toy soldiers? 

You could argue that the simple solution for A. would be to enlist voluntarily at his district military office and get it over with, just like every other Cypriot male.  Why should A. get special treatment?  Because of his age, he would probably get away with 3 months’ service in a boring desk job.  Duty done and dusted.  

But he doesn’t want to do that.  His priority at his age, he says, is to have an income, a decent job according to his well earned qualifications and experience, and some quality of life.  He wants to start a family with his girlfriend - surely that is their right under EU human rights laws?  As an Anglo-Cypriot, he says he has experienced discrimination and prejudicial xenophobic attitudes from Greek-Cypriots, who treat him like an outsider.  

A. and his girlfriend have found it impossible to get further jobs here without “mesa” (insider contacts), which they don't have, or choose not to get into.  So another solution for them – they have now decided – is to return to the UK and try for a better life there. 

Good luck to them. 

Probability odds say they can’t be the only ones.  The unfortunate result for Cyprus is a brain drain.  Less younger, educated, skilled, bilingual/multilingual workers = less of a future.  

Cronyism and nepotism have a lot to answer for. 

Novena prayers to St. Cajetan – patron of the unemployed.