60 years old tomorrow!

[kingfisher]

Tomorrow (Saturday 25th) is listed as a public holiday in Cyprus on my calendar. I wonder- is this in connection with the European Project’s 60th Birthday?
Anyway, the EU could usefully demonstrate both humility and goodwill by foregoing the expense of the celebrations-and giving Greece, which is once again teetering- the tens of millions it will doubtless cost.
I read that Greece has agreed to sign the accord (about the future of the Union) tomorrow if the EU/ECB/IMF plays ball and gives them a few more bucks. Meanwhile I also note that Juncker has repaid May’s consideration over not triggering Article 50 before, or on, the 25th (as she should have done), by once again banging on about the £52,000,000,000 he says we owe the EU…..
One way and another I am very glad we are getting close to parting company with this outfit!

[geoffreys]

Tomorrow (Saturday 25th) is listed as a public holiday in Cyprus on my calendar. I wonder- is this in connection with the European Project’s 60th Birthday?
Anyway, the EU could usefully demonstrate both humility and goodwill by foregoing the expense of the celebrations-and giving Greece, which is once again teetering- the tens of millions it will doubtless cost.
I read that Greece has agreed to sign the accord (about the future of the Union) tomorrow if the EU/ECB/IMF plays ball and gives them a few more bucks. Meanwhile I also note that Juncker has repaid May’s consideration over not triggering Article 50 before, or on, the 25th (as she should have done), by once again banging on about the £52,000,000,000 he says we owe the EU…..
One way and another I am very glad we are getting close to parting company with this outfit!

You and most of the rest of us!
Geoff.

[kingfisher]

Happy in Cyprus-principles above mere pecuniary considerations, at least in my case!

[cyprusgrump]

Happy in Cyprus-principles above mere pecuniary considerations, at least in my case!

And mine...

[Royal]

...I do believe in retiring at 60! I hope that the EU follow suit...

[Dominic]

Yes! Another Brexit thread! This is what the forum was lacking!!!

[kingfisher]

Actually Dominic I was rather hoping someone would venture a plausible reason for celebrating: and, please, not "60 years of peace in Europe" (all down to the EU of course.)

[geoffreys]

You and most of the rest of us! Geoff.

That's strange Geoffrey; I could have sworn you lived in Cyprus...which of course will continue to be a member of the EU.

Overlooking the fact that you and your wife's UK State Pensions have gone down significantly in value, please explain how and why you feel you will be personally better off once the UK leaves the EU?

My wife does not get her State Pension yet as it has been delayed until she is 66, in 2022. When we came to Cyprus her expectation
was she would get it at age 60, i.e. THIS year. She hopes WASPI will have some success.
Regards UK leaving the EU I have said on here before my concern is for my kids and grandkids still living in UK, not my own
finances.
In any case it is the view if some City experts that the GBP will bounce back.
Regards Cyprus it may well come about that the EU will fall apart soon anyway - we can live in hopes!
Once the UK actually exits the EU in 2019 its economy will boom, which hopefully will mean a continuation of the Triple Lock
increase in State Pensions, as they will be able to afford it.
Geoff.

[rogertcb]

You live in a dream world who will actually pay for those pensions without any immigration also not personal to you but one day our kids and grandkids will hate us for this decision we made to leave the EU depriving them of all the opportunity for education, cheap travel and employment that Europe can offer. I remember when I was in Germany in the 1970s watching in envy when the Germans were driving BMWs and Mercs whilst we brits had poor quality BMC and Vauxhall with low paid jobs

In my view we are heading back to the past and not to the future where the EU will prosper and Britain goes back to "the workhouse and children up chimneys' Roger

[cyprusgrump]

Gosh, sometimes it can be quite lonely on here being a Remainer

It is indeed good news although 56.0 to 56.7 isn't exactly anything to get too excited about. The article itself sums it up thus:

It does look like a small if still uncertain glimmer of light on the eurozone's economic horizon.

Buy hey, I'm not knocking it! Any good news of growth in Europe is just that - good news! Growth in Europe will mean even more export opportunities for the UK!

I do hope my enthusiasm hasn't disappointed you...?

[cyprusgrump]

You live in a dream world who will actually pay for those pensions without any immigration also not personal to you but one day our kids and grandkids will hate us for this decision we made to leave the EU depriving them of all the opportunity for education, cheap travel and employment that Europe can offer. I remember when I was in Germany in the 1970s watching in envy when the Germans were driving BMWs and Mercs whilst we brits had poor quality BMC and Vauxhall with low paid jobs

In my view we are heading back to the past and not to the future where the EU will prosper and Britain goes back to "the workhouse and children up chimneys' Roger

That's the spirit! Be positive and look forward!

[rogertcb]

I will tell you a true story of how the EU works

In the 80s I was working in Sofia Bulgaria it took their citizens 5 years to get a car and that was a Lada many had to live with their parents for most of their early married years, they had poor quality food and they couldn't afford western goods. I was posted back to Sofia just before my retirement now Sofia is a thriving city with plenty of western goods, their young are amongst the best educated in the World all helping the UK economy grow as they buy plenty of U.K. made products that is how the UU works in practice.

You only read the worst of a country if you rely on the right wing press to get your information I prefer to trust people who have experience and knowledge of countries, particularly how they are prospering under the EU rather than speculating on the demise of the UE which will never happen.

[cyprusgrump]

I will tell you a true story of how the EU works

In the 80s I was working in Sofia Bulgaria it took their citizens 5 years to get a car and that was a Lada many had to live with their parents for most of their early married years, they had poor quality food and they couldn't afford western goods. I was posted back to Sofia just before my retirement now Sofia is a thriving city with plenty of western goods, their young are amongst the best educated in the World all helping the UK economy grow as they buy plenty of U.K. made products that is how the UU works in practice.

You don't think that dramatic change might have been something to do with the collapse of The Soviet Union...?

...and I'm not sure how Bulgaria's newly found prosperity proves that we are about to start sending kiddies up chimneys in the UK post Brexit?

[rogertcb]

What I say is ask the young Bulgarians ask the Cypriots what they think of the prosperity the EU has brought them I have.

[cyprusgrump]

What I say is ask the young Bulgarians ask the Cypriots what they think of the prosperity the EU has brought them I have.

Oh yea, Cyprus is much more prosperous now than when we arrived in 2002...

[rogertcb]

Look at the GDP if you want evidence Roger

[cyprusgrump]

Look at the GDP if you want evidence Roger

My casual observation is that everything has become more expensive since we arrived - significantly more expensive in some areas and of course 19% VAT doesn't help... there are far more empty shops than there were...

Also, unemployment is what, 15%?

I think if you asked the youth unemployed of all the Southern EU countries if they feel membership has made them more prosperous the answer would be a resounding 'NO!'.

[Jim B]

You are not alone HIC.
Jim

[rogertcb]

Hello Cyprusgrump unemployment was lower because the cypriots did low paid jobs such as farming now done by the Vietnamese, bar and restaurant work now done by Romanians, Brits and Bulgarians experiencing travel before they settle down. The youth of Cyprus are now better educated have bigger aspirations and in the main earn far more money than they could ever of dreamt of before they joined the EU.

This is how the EU works spreading the wealth and prosperity from the bottom up from which we all will benefit in the long run. Roger

[kingfisher]

rogertcb- The EU "works" by spreading wealth and prosperity not from the bottom up but top down, and also by printing trillions of euros. The UK must have put hundreds of billions into the EU directly and indirectly over the past decades. Bugger all to show for it.