The problems that may arise in the areas controlled by the British Bases, are highlighted in an extensive report by the news network Reuters, in the unfortunate scenario of Brexit without an agreement.
According to the network reports, the residents of these areas are in the dark as there is no official information about what is to be born, despite the assurances from the authorities that those necessary steps are being taken for a smooth transition, without revealing how.
Read the Reuters report
In addition to the military, 22 communities with 11 inhabitants now live in areas controlled by British Bases, as a remnant of colonialism, 60 years after the independence of Cyprus.
According to the agreement reached between the European Union and Great Britain, which, however, was eventually rejected, there was a provision according to which the areas controlled by the Bases would remain connected to the European Union.
Without an agreement, however, and with a possible no deal, the territories of the bases, which constitute 3% of the territory, would enter a legal vacuum, since a London-Nicosia bilateral agreement on issues managed by the European Union could not be reached. .
The Cypriots are in the dark
"Of course I'm worried, but unfortunately no one is informing us about anything," he said Christos Michos, a farmer working in the family business in the community of Xylofagos, which is famous for its potatoes, which are a remarkable Cypriot export, planted in red soil.
"Will we have to pay customs duties to export our products to Europe? What will happen with us; "We want someone to tell us - if they know - why things seem fluid."
Special case
European Union law applies on the basis of the protocol agreed in 2004, when Cyprus joined the Union, and applies in areas such as customs duties, value added tax, agriculture and fisheries.
"If Britain leaves the EU "Without an agreement, we will be obliged to have customs controls for the trade of goods," said Government Spokesman Prodromos Prodromou.
The British military bases, he said, were a "special case".
"At the moment we have an agreement that is part of the general agreement. "Maybe he will rely on this protocol to continue the negotiations to get out of the impasse," he said.
The British Bases are divided into two areas, the western of the Cape near Limassol, and the Eastern, the base of Dhekelia that crosses Kokkinochoria and is the only route to reach the cosmopolitan Ayia Napa.
People living inside the Bases claim that they have no information from the Authorities about the possible impact of Brexit without an agreement. The future development of their real estate, which is subject to some restrictions due to the Bases, is a primary concern for them.
"It's a bit like the Vatican, one state within another state," he told Reuters Christofis Kassiouris, community leader of Ormidia, a community surrounded by Bases.
According to high-ranking European Union officials, the issue remains legally complex, but the main goal is to ensure that there is no disruption.
"What we want is to ensure that nothing changes," said an official who asked not to be named. "It is not simple, but the goal is to have no control over the goods."
However, Britain and Cyprus emphasize at every opportunity their intention so that the transition will be smooth, without having found the ways so far.
The British High Commission in Nicosia notes that it is assessing the situation, emphasizing that there will be no changes in the daily lives of citizens. "The agreement does not in any way alter the United Kingdom 's commitment to the Bases or compliance with the installation agreement underlying the current arrangements."
"In the event of Brexit without an agreement, we are confident that we can reach an agreement for our Cypriot partners," said a spokesman for the embassy.
Source: Reporter