Only one out of two Cypriots agree with sanctions against Russia

Only one in two Cypriots agree with EU’s sanctions against Russia as opposed to a whopping 80 per cent EU average, according to the latest Eurobarometer carried out this year.

Moreover, 36 per cent of Cypriots views Russia positively, whilst the EU average stands at 10 per cent and marks a significant drop from 2018, when it stood at 30 per cent.

At the same time, 80 percent of Cypriots believe that their day-to-day lives will be adversely affected by the Russian invasion in Ukraine as opposed to the 60 per cent EU average. In Greece, the figure stands at 86 per cent.

Regarding their country’s participation in the EU, 65 per cent of Europeans view it as positive, marking a new high against the 58 per cent recorded in 2007.

In Cyprus, the figure stands at 53 per cent. Additionally, less than half (42 per cent) of Cypriots have a positive picture of the EU, 10 per cent less than the EU average.

Moreover, Cypriots appear more ready than the average European counterpart to sacrifice common European values for a better cost of living and lower inflation, as 51 per cent of Cypriots value consider the reduction of prices and cost of living more important even if it would affect defending common European values. The EU average on the same topic stands at 39 per cent.

Moving on, just 48 per cent of Cypriots asked considers defending European values as a priority.

Regarding challenges that the EU Parliament should prioritise, Cypriots rank public health as a priority (58 per cent), followed by combating poverty and social exclusion (45 per cent) and propping up the economy and creating new jobs (42 per cent).

Regarding what values that the EU Parliament should prioritise, EU citizens placed democracy as a priority, recording a 38 per cent, followed by defending human rights in the EU and abroad and defending freedom of speech and thought.

Cypriots place the defense of human rights in the EU and abroad as a priority (37 per cent) followed by freedom of speech and thought (31 per cent) and democracy (30 per cent).

The Eurobarometer was carried out between April and May 2022 via personal interviews, with the participation of 26.580 EU citizens, of which 503 were Cypriots.