Poll shows outlook glum for a solution

Three in four Greek Cypriots believe there will never be a reunifying solution to the Cyprus problem, a study for Simerini newspaper has shown.

According to the study, carried out on 507 random members of the public by Cyprus College on behalf of the paper to mark the 33rd anniversary since the Turkish invasion, 67 per cent of people aged over 50 believe the Cyprus problem will never be solved.

Refugees are also pessimistic, with 64 per cent also saying there won’t be a solution. Also 76 per cent of refugees believe the Turkish invasion benefited non-refugees financially and that the three past decades have seen injustices at the expense of refugees.

And 75 per cent of the population asked said it was impossible to find a solution that would reunify Cyprus and allow refugees to return to their homes.

Just under half of Greek Cypriots asked (49 per cent) wished for a bicommunal and bizonal federation, while three in ten said they would be happy with the establishment of two independent states, with the return of Morphou and Famagusta.

However, a significant section of the public (24 per cent, mostly women and youths) would prefer the situation to remain as it is, while 12 per cent opted for partition.

Regarding the impending presidential elections, 34 per cent of Cypriots believe that none of the candidates are capable of reaching a solution.

Especially shocking was Cypriots’ ignorance over what took place on July 15, 1974 – the Junta-backed coup which led to the invasion. A whopping 85 per cent of those asked did not know about the coup, while one in seven Cypriots were not aware when the invasion took place.