# Big Brother - Cyprus Style



## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

Yesterday, I had a Cypriot Government worker turn up unexpectedly at my door with a "requirement" for me to complete a 32 page Cyprus Government survey form for every day for the next 2 weeks. She had all the credentials one would expect to confirm her identity and her authority.

A call to my Landord (and friend), Doros, confirmed that the survey, and my selected participation in it, was indeed compulsory.

The Cyprus government wishes to know how much I have spent over the last 12 months on registration fees, vets bills, gas bills, Internet bills, electricity bills, car bills, mobile phone bills, water bills, and just about every conceivable bill you can think of. I had to declare my monthly pension income, our rental income from our UK property and I'm also required o keep a record of every item of expenditure, on a daily basis, for 2 weeks - submitting receipts for all expenditure. I will receive a visit from the "enumerator"in 1 week to check that my record keeping is in accordance with the the regulations!

So intrusive! So unnecessary! Why the hell does the Cypriot Government need to know what we spend on eating out, eating in, or on anything else we decide to spend our money on?


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Hi,
Reminds me of the compulsory UK census forms that we were supposed to fill in every 10 years.
I still have the last three of these saved and not completed.
When a person accused of murder has the right to remain silent - it used to annoy me that I was being made to complete one of these forms with private, sensitive information - so I didn't.
In theory, you could be prosecuted for it - but I was not.
If I was in Cyprus now - I certainly would not be completing this form - they could go and whistle for it!
Cheers
Steve


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## Rema (Aug 12, 2012)

David_&_Letitia said:


> Yesterday, I had a Cypriot Government worker turn up unexpectedly at my door with a "requirement" for me to complete a 32 page Cyprus Government survey form for every day for the next 2 weeks. She had all the credentials one would expect to confirm her identity and her authority.
> 
> A call to my Landord (and friend), Doros, confirmed that the survey, and my selected participation in it, was indeed compulsory.
> 
> ...


Are you sure it's not something to do with either provision of services in your area or (hopefully not) your tax status?
You could always alter your lifestyle for the next 2 weeks and not go out at all claiming you were waiting for your enhanced pension to arrive from Greece.


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

In the UK, the 10 year survey captures information about ethnicity, religion etc, all of which I can understand the government needing to know. The stupidity of this survey is that it relies entirely on the honesty of the individual. For example, I could simply not declare any sort of expenditure for a period of time as we have a freezer full of food and wouldn't need to go shopping if we decided to start using it. The survey result would then be skewed. 

I am astounded that the Cyprus government feels the need to know what anyone spends and where they spend it.


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

David_&_Letitia said:


> In the UK, the 10 year survey captures information about ethnicity, religion etc, all of which I can understand the government needing to know. The stupidity of this survey is that it relies entirely on the honesty of the individual. For example, I could simply not declare any sort of expenditure for a period of time as we have a freezer full of food and wouldn't need to go shopping if we decided to start using it. The survey result would then be skewed.
> 
> I am astounded that the Cyprus government feels the need to know what anyone spends and where they spend it.


Hi,
I beg to differ - my religion and ethnicity are my business - not the governments.
Regarding your survey - put what you like - I doubt your results will get analysed or make any difference to your life in Cyprus.
I would be inclined to do as you suggested and spend nothing over the survey period - just to spite them (I always was a bit anti-establishment at times like this!)
Cheers
Steve


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

Rema said:


> Are you sure it's not something to do with either provision of services in your area or (hopefully not) your tax status?
> You could always alter your lifestyle for the next 2 weeks and not go out at all claiming you were waiting for your enhanced pension to arrive from Greece.


I can't say that I'm sure this is area specific or anything to do with tax. Through my Landlord and friend, Doros, I stated that I thought the survey was silly and intrusive, but was told that it is compulsory that I take part.


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Hi,
Did they ask you about your level of literacy?
I would be claiming that I can't read or write - remember, there is no law against an adult being illiterate.
Cheers
Steve


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

I believe the Cyprus authorities are now sending these to all people who look suspicious.



Pete


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## southcoastlady (Apr 18, 2015)

David_&_Letitia said:


> I can't say that I'm sure this is area specific or anything to do with tax. Through my Landlord and friend, Doros, I stated that I thought the survey was silly and intrusive, but was told that it is compulsory that I take part.


What is the worse thing to happen if you don't fill in this form - or 'spoil' it?


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## Talagirl (Feb 24, 2013)

Just wondered if the current survey is anything to do with these two old articles as it seems it takes place approximately every 5 years and households are selected on a random basis

http://www.cystat.gov.cy/mof/cystat/statistics.nsf/All/B5E4F9CFBAC5B579C22578A7003033BD/$file/CPI-GENERAL_INFO-EN-060611.pdf?OpenElement

http://www.mas.ucy.ac.cy/~alex/Cons...er Finances_files/Papers/CySCF_Design2002.pdf


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## Tynecastle (Mar 25, 2014)

Funny similar thing happened to my husband and I a couple of nights ago. There was a phone call around 7.30pm and all my husband could recall from conversation is that they were from Ministry of Finance and wanted us to take part in a survey.

By the time they knocked on our door it was around 8pm and when I asked for some identification they had to go out to the car for it. Just looked like business cards rather than what I expected - plastic photofit id card that most government employees have.

They left a proforma for us to fill in for the next few weeks, each day noting down any payments we have made.

Sad thing is that two days before we went out for our big shop for the month, filled up the freezer, fridge etc and now we will just be shopping for the day to day bits for the next few weeks. That won't really be representative of our purchases being just for the next two weeks.

As you, arriving at that time of night I thought it was a scam and when they started asking us intrusive questions about our income and expenditure each month, I was very wary. Now I know someone else has been asked to complete their questionnaire in the same area and nationality I am a bit sceptical.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

I would suggest that if anyone else gets a visit like this they say I am closing the door and ringing the police to check that this is a genuine survey. Then close the door and ring the police immediately. If they are genuine they will wait outside, if not they will scarper and you have done your job by ringing the police.


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

Tynecastle said:


> ....they started asking us intrusive questions about our income and expenditure each month


Yes - we had the same. On a lighter note, after establishing that I am ex military and drawing a pension, I was asked how many months in a year I receive my pension. Perplexed, I answered 12 of course. I was then told that government and ex-government workers in Cyprus and Greece get 13 months pay in 12 months. Their Decmber pay/pension is doubled as a sort of bonus! In Greece, their Easter month pay is increased by 50% as another bonus! No wonder they are in a mess!

At my Greek class tonight, the teacher confirmed all of this, and said that in Cyprus and Greece, there are also 2 x annual increments of pay in January and July. He knows of a doctor in a private hospital in Paphos who earns €2000 euro per month, and a 60 year old cleaner in Paphos General (therefore a government worker) who earns €2,500 per month due to these increments over a long working life!


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

In fairness I think you will find 13 months pay with the extra month paid at Xmas is quite common in Europe.

Pete


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

PeteandSylv said:


> In fairness I think you will find 13 months pay with the extra month paid at Xmas is quite common in Europe.
> 
> Pete


I have never heard about it regarding pension. Not in Germany and not in Sweden. 

For salary Germany has 13 salaries. Meaning you get 1 extra during your vacation.


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Baywatch said:


> I have never heard about it regarding pension. Not in Germany and not in Sweden.
> 
> For salary Germany has 13 salaries. Meaning you get 1 extra during your vacation.


Thank you, Anders.

I was, of course, referring to pay/salary and didn't take in that this was being applied to pensions.

Pete


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## Tynecastle (Mar 25, 2014)

I can remember a long time ago when I worked for the railways we received our monthly salary every four weeks which worked out at 13 monthly payments over a year. It felt like we received an extra four weekly payment but it wasn't a bonus payment from the company. In fact as each four weekly payment was for 28 days, over the year we would have received 12 payments for 28 days work. ie 336 days. The remainder from the total 365 days ie 31 days are paid extra at the end of the year as a 13th months salary.

Maybe this is how these government departments work.


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## southcoastlady (Apr 18, 2015)

David_&_Letitia said:


> Yes - we had the same. On a lighter note, after establishing that I am ex military and drawing a pension, I was asked how many months in a year I receive my pension. Perplexed, I answered 12 of course. I was then told that government and ex-government workers in Cyprus and Greece get 13 months pay in 12 months. Their Decmber pay/pension is doubled as a sort of bonus! In Greece, their Easter month pay is increased by 50% as another bonus! No wonder they are in a mess!
> 
> At my Greek class tonight, the teacher confirmed all of this, and said that in Cyprus and Greece, there are also 2 x annual increments of pay in January and July. He knows of a doctor in a private hospital in Paphos who earns €2000 euro per month, and a 60 year old cleaner in Paphos General (therefore a government worker) who earns €2,500 per month due to these increments over a long working life!


This is not rocket science… lunar moths = 4 x weekly. calendar months = same date each calendar month. Lunar month = 13 per year, calendar month = 12 per year. Wherever you live in the world!


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

southcoastlady said:


> This is not rocket science… lunar moths = 4 x weekly. calendar months = same date each calendar month. Lunar month = 13 per year, calendar month = 12 per year. Wherever you live in the world!


Having spent 42 years in the military I am obviously institutionalised! Our pay was based on a daily rate, multiplied by 365.25 for the annual salary (to take account of leap years) and then divided by 12 for monthly pay!

If salaries were regularly paid according to lunar months, then why would bills (electricity, gas, Sky TV etc) not also be based on lunar months?


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## southcoastlady (Apr 18, 2015)

David_&_Letitia said:


> Having spent 42 years in the military I am obviously institutionalised! Our pay was based on a daily rate, multiplied by 365.25 for the annual salary (to take account of leap years) and then divided by 12 for monthly pay!
> 
> If salaries were regularly paid according to lunar months, then why would bills (electricity, gas, Sky TV etc) not also be based on lunar months?


This should be addressed to electricity company, gas company, Sky TV etc,


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

If you've ever run a payroll you would know that when setting up staff pay you can choose various options such as weekly, monthly, 4-weekly. It is thus possible to pay the same annual amount distributed as 52, 12 or 13 payments. I have not heard of pay by lunar month which would be terribly complex and confusing!

However what has been discussed is not these but a monthly salary paid 12 times plus an additional payment usually at Xmas. The total amount paid therefore is the annuals salary plus a 1 month bonus.

It is up to you to decide whether the total remuneration is excessive regardless of the number of payments made. It is this that appears to have been ignored when originally addressing Greek pay.

Pete


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

PeteandSylv said:


> If you've ever run a payroll you would know that when setting up staff pay you can choose various options such as weekly, monthly, 4-weekly. It is thus possible to pay the same annual amount distributed as 52, 12 or 13 payments. I have not heard of pay by lunar month which would be terribly complex and confusing!
> 
> However what has been discussed is not these but a monthly salary paid 12 times plus an additional payment usually at Xmas. The total amount paid therefore is the annuals salary plus a 1 month bonus.
> 
> ...


this is the system Sweden has with a little variation. The extra money is paid out the salary before you go on main vacation and it is 12% of what you earned the last 12 months


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Survey to find household budgets launched

Pete


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