# european commission



## oxocube123 (Nov 27, 2011)

I am in the process of pursuing my free bus pass for here in cyprus i had to take the matter up with solvit who done their best in approaching the cypriot authorities to no avail, however they have advised me to take the matter up with the european commission, i have tried on the european commissions web site to find an e mail address that i can forward all the information to but i can"t find an e mail address, can anybody assist me please?


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## cds usa (Jan 4, 2011)

I don't get it? Why do you think you are entitled to a free bus pass? And in the big scheme of things will the few euros you'll save every month make that big a difference?
I thought only Cypriot senior citizens among other criteria are entitled to them?


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## davidogden (Oct 9, 2012)

I believe if you are a European pensioner resident in a european country you are entitles to the same benefits as the locals. Cyprus joined europe for protection against the turks, they cannot be allowed to pick and choose which rules they will apply. if they dont like it they can leave the EU, there is an EU representative in Paphos i found the address online European Commission in Cyprus names telephone numbers and emails


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## oxocube123 (Nov 27, 2011)

Thank you for your help davidogden, all the best


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## cds usa (Jan 4, 2011)

Actually they can pick and choose with a lot of the rules, all of the countries that joined the eu have applied a lot of these rules in different ways. I seem to have read, I may be wrong on this, that even for pensioners there is an income level below which you'd qualify. 
As far as Cyprus leaving the eu I wish they would, we got a lot of bad deals with a few good ones and you are wrong in thinking that it was protection from the Turks, that didn't actually come up.

So basically the eu gave you the right to be in sunny Cyprus, and I hope you are doing well there, but instead of following the rules as they are and enjoying life there as best you can, you are running around wasting your time over some bus pass. I'm sure you won't get it because they don't want to set a precedent. For a cash strapped economy free buss passes to well off pensioners is not going to be their priority. You are already getting a good deal otherwise you wouldn't have moved to Cyprus.


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## kimonas (Jul 19, 2008)

I don't know anything about bus passes I'm afraid, but I do know that Cyprus is either deeply embedded with infringement fines in many sectors, or on the verge of entering infringement processes in others. If SOLVIT couldn't help, the issue of transport concessions is probably one of them. I applaud anyone who is willing to set the precedents to pursue what they are entitled to - after all it will (hopefully) lead to a better situation for all. I've certainly taken many issues to the EU and have managed to help force changes to local legislation which was hitherto positively medieval and in contravention of EU treaties and or community directives. Many changes are also needed to fight current discriminatory practices against foreigners, the disabled, minorities and the aged. Good luck and let us know how you get on.


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## oxocube123 (Nov 27, 2011)

Thank you kimonas, there was never a problem with bus passes for retired expats before!, then the goal posts were moved, the requirement now in order for a retired european citizen who is resident in cyprus to obtain a bus pass must obtain cypriot citizenship. I will keep the website posted hopefully with a justified favourable european union decision. All the best.


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

cds usa said:


> Actually they can pick and choose with a lot of the rules, all of the countries that joined the eu have applied a lot of these rules in different ways.


In the main, countries *cannot *pick and choose and this is a fundamental problem with the EU. Countries sign treaties to follow certain rules and later, when they perceive it to be in their national interest to ignore the rules, they do - unlawfully. The UK and Germany are examples of countries which follow the rules. Cyprus and many others (including France) are countries which sometimes look the other way.



cds usa said:


> So basically the eu gave you the right to be in sunny Cyprus, and I hope you are doing well there, but instead of following the rules as they are and enjoying life there as best you can, you are running around wasting your time over some bus pass. I'm sure you won't get it because they don't want to set a precedent. For a cash strapped economy free buss passes to well off pensioners is not going to be their priority. You are already getting a good deal otherwise you wouldn't have moved to Cyprus.


Surely you are being rather harsh. We all have rights, and when they are ignored, they are worth fighting for.


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## cds usa (Jan 4, 2011)

David_&_Letitia said:


> In the main, countries *cannot *pick and choose and this is a fundamental problem with the EU. Countries sign treaties to follow certain rules and later, when they perceive it to be in their national interest to ignore the rules, they do - unlawfully. The UK and Germany are examples of countries which follow the rules. Cyprus and many others (including France) are countries which sometimes look the other way.
> 
> 
> 
> Surely you are being rather harsh. We all have rights, and when they are ignored, they are worth fighting for.


You are right I am being harsh and rights are worth fighting for however, bus passes for people that don't meet the current criteria are not it, IMO. In this horrific economy it seems petty, again IMO.
As far as the Uk and Germany following the rules it is largely because they make the rules, maybe rightly so, and the uk didn't even adopt the euro, not an option for the rest of the Eu.


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

cds usa said:


> You are right I am being harsh and rights are worth fighting for however, bus passes for people that don't meet the current criteria are not it, IMO. In this horrific economy it seems petty, again IMO.


If a bus pass is a right for an EU pensioner (and I am only assuming that this is the case) but is being denied to someone who meets all the criteria, then one should fight to be given their rights. The issue of whether a bus pass _*should*_ be a right for *all *EU pensioners in view of the economic situation is a slightly different argument. Some will say that not all senior citizens actually need a bus pass. However, if this were to be the case, then there are senior citizens who have worked all their lives and paid taxes into a welfare system, but because they have been careful with their finances over the years and put money aside, they do not get anything out of the system. Contrast this with the feckless who have never worked, never paid into the system and never saved money - why should they be allowed to make withdrawals from the system they have never paid into?



cds usa said:


> As far as the Uk and Germany following the rules it is largely because they make the rules, maybe rightly so, and the uk didn't even adopt the euro, not an option for the rest of the Eu.


I think that it is Germany and France who tend to make the rules, and the UK are seen as an obstructive country to the EU 'club'. Whether to adopt the Euro actually *was* an option for all EU countries at the time of the Maastricht treaty, but not for any country which joined the EU since then. However, I believe that the UK decision not to join has been vindicated. We have always believed that some countries 'cooked the books' for the convergence criteria to be met. Funnily enough those countries included Greece, Spain and Portugal amongst others. A common currency simply cannot work without economic and political union - a step too far for the UK.


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Bus fares are extraordinarily low here for everyone. The pursuit of the right to a bus pass will waste time and energy and achieve little.

A rather daft way to lower your quality of life, I think.

By the way as a UK citizen I cannot get a bus pass over there. What will all you rule quoters make of that!

Pete


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## Guest (Feb 14, 2013)

PeteandSylv said:


> Bus fares are extraordinarily low here for everyone. The pursuit of the right to a bus pass will waste time and energy and achieve little.
> 
> A rather daft way to lower your quality of life, I think.
> 
> ...


That is the same in Sweden. No one gets a free bus pass. 

Anders


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## cds usa (Jan 4, 2011)

A quick google search came up with this website, excellent web design.
Cyprus By Bus - Cyprus Bus Fares
It almost makes me want to take the bus somewhere certainly far cheaper than taking the car.
I used the puplic bus service as a young student in Nicosia, to go downtown, to makenzie beach in the summer and I remember we had to pay. 
Something about the original poster going above and beyond to get his free pass rubbed me the wrong way


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