Hi there to all the British born Cypriots, I’m writing yet again as an update to my problem of official status in Cyprus. I would like to know where I, along with my brothers, meaning you BBC’s, stand in the subject of our A) Citizenship and B) Nationality.
On behalf of my brothers and sisters, I would like an official response to my questions. (See Parikiaki edition 20th March 2014)
We should have a right to be Cypriot by birth of our parents and not from where we were born.
Other civilized countries have made amendments years ago for their citizens whom left their country of birth. These people’s children, no matter where they are born, are given automatic citizenship. They take it automatically and do not have to apply to become a citizen as a foreigner, unlike here in Cyprus where most official departments make it their upmost priority to make it very uncomfortable and difficult when dealing with BBCs. They are despondent to our plight and the difficulties of coming to our new environment and the dilemmas we face in relocating and settling into our ‘country’.
I have come across the same problems faced by very disgruntled BBCs. The upset and difficulties that they face when they come to make a new life in Cyprus always concerns the attitude of the locals towards us. I have always tried to give a positive picture telling them that it is our country also and that we have a right to come and live here in harmony with other Cypriots, as Cypriots, ourselves. Unfortunately, the locals do not see us as Cypriots and as the law stands today, WE ARE NOT CYPRIOT. We are British citizens whom have to apply to become and be accepted officially as one.
It is a known fact that if the repatriates had not returned to Cyprus in the past thirty years, bringing with them millions, then Cyprus would never have progressed so quickly and developed and advanced in their financial aspects. It wasn’t the Russian money or the new Chinese money that has only recently appeared. It was the hard earned money of all the Cypriots that left Cyprus in the twenties and thirties; those who left their beloved Cyprus and went to different parts of the world, but mainly England, America, Australia and some to South Africa..
Almost every day I come across bigots and in sadness I will say it is almost a racial problem and us as the foreigners. This has become more obvious since the decline of the financial market. We are almost frowned upon.
For me to be writing this brings to me much sorrow and pain. I have learnt to live with a lot of the problems and complications I have faced since I came fifteen years ago, but the glitches are far more extreme and more obvious. I have looked into selling up and relocating elsewhere, but it is financially not the correct time to do so.
Where I thought that by coming to live in Cyprus was ‘me coming home’, I have now come to the painful realization that this is not the place I would like to end my days. So for now I am making the best I can. For those of you whom are considering the move, if you do decide to come, do it with the real facts and not just the dream of returning ‘home’.
Kay Costa Philippou