UK Expats In Cyprus Still In Limbo Over Brexit

In spite of Cyprus government reassurances, British expats are still living in limbo.

Some 70,000 Britons call Cyprus their home, with the vast majority still angry at how easily their carefully-planned lives can be destroyed by thinly-disguised political manipulation in their country of origin. Even although the Cypriot government has allowed expat residents a year to get their papers in order, they’re fully aware the entire mess could fall apart at any moment, leaving them with shattered dreams and broken lives.

One 51-year old Briton arrived on the island 10 years ago and started a relocation, removal, storage and shipping company aimed at helping expats either arrive or leave Cyprus. During the last decade, he’s helped a huge number of Brits circumnavigate the issues linked with emigrating to an unfamiliar land. Nowadays, conversations are all about the Brexit issue, but Peter Morton can’t offer any reassurance as the entire Brexit situation is still in limbo. He believes both the EU and the British government have handled the issue in a disgraceful manner

.A good number of Brits living on the island were unable to vote in the 2016 referendum due to the 10-year disenfranchisement rule, with many fearing for the future and saying they enjoyed being European as it gave stability to their rights to remain in Cyprus. Diana Cooper arrived just two years ago, and is hoping and praying a successful second referendum will put a stop to the entire debacle. Jason Collins, a professional DJ who arrived 12 years ago and now has a successful business, has already completed his MEU23 application to remain although he would have voted ‘leave’ in the referendum, but still feels the negotiations are simply a disgrace. He and his colleagues in the tourism sector are annoyed and frustrated by the lack of information regarding easy access to Cyprus for holidaymakers.

Yvonne Scarborough retired to the island 15 years ago with her husband, who passed away last year. She’s determined never to repatriate to the UK, calling the Brexit negotiations a fiasco. She voted remain in the referendum, supports a second peoples’ vote and is certain the British public were deliberately misinformed as to the impact of leaving the EU.