Normally, an article on Cyprus would stir little excitement despite that UN peace keepers have been stationed between the Turkish North and Greek South of the Island for nearly forty years, and a formal peace has not been declared. Cyprus is not, after all, an active conflict zone, and has not been since the present status quo was established in 1974.

That was the year when Turkey invoked its “rights of guarantee” under international agreements and invaded Cyprus, following an Athens-led coup by Greek Cypriots aiming for union with Greece, which has been a historic red line for Turks.

Today, however, eyes are focused on the Island and it has nothing to do with Turkey or Turkish Cypriots. By a strange quirk of history, it is the European Union that is being vilified by Greek Cypriots this time, as the ogre out to impoverish and destroy their nation.

In fairness to them, few nations have been asked to swallow the kind of pill that they are asked to swallow. Imagine 10% of your savings being scooped off by the government against your will in order to get billions in assistance from the EU to prevent a collapse of the economy.