Citizenship’s side effects baffle Cyprus
Cypriot government ministers issued conflicting signals yesterday regarding a recent legislative amendment that could force thousands of half-Cypriot men up to the age of 42 to enlist for over two years in the National Guard. Defense Minister Socrates Hasikos was quoted by the Athens News Agency as saying that people cannot enjoy all the rights conferred by Cypriot citizenship while ignoring their concomitant duties. There is widespread concern among men with Cypriot mothers and non-Cypriot fathers that they could be hauled off to serve in the National Guard during the July draft. This follows the passing, on December 31, 2001, of a legislative amendment that automatically confers Cypriot citizenship on Cyprus residents born of a Cypriot mother and foreign father on or after August 16, 1960. Until then, only children of Cypriot fathers were automatically granted citizenship. Children of Greek fathers have been particularly vociferous in their complaints. But Hasikos said all Greeks living in Cyprus who are affected by the amendment would have to enlist. National guardsmen serve for 26 months. He added, however, that his ministry is trying to determine whether the law can be changed so that it is not retroactive for people over 30. Cypriot Interior Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou, however, said nobody had to take on Cypriot citizenship if they did not want to. According to the Athens News Agency, he said people who did desire citizenship would have to table an application. He added that if new citizens insisted on serving in the National Guard, the matter would have to be examined.
