Two Mistakes of Cyprus Government

The first mistake - the virus is not dangerous for Cyprus. The reason for such opinion is low mortality, 4 times less than in Germany not speaking about Italy, UK etc. The conclusion (of course nobody says these words in public but many think) is if even coronavirus kill several dozens (or even several hundreds) more old Cypriots this will not be a big deal and a big price for return to "normality". Thus we will ease quarantine and invite the virus to come from outside and to grow inside of the Republic. It is difficult to give other explanation of the Government actions in last near 2 months. Paradoxically, against all lows of nature until now the virus has not grown.

Of course this is cynical logics but this is also may be incorrect logics. This virus behaves paradoxically not only in case of Cyprus but in general. The virus hits some countries and spares others. We do not know why there are no deaths at all in 100-millions Vietnam or why in Iceland with huge number of cases per million had mortality 4 times less than in Germany. We do not know why mortality in Luxembourg 5 times less than in Belgium. Why situation in Australia is so better than one in Canada? Why situation in Central Europe is much better than in Western Europe? Or why is so low mortality on Arabian Peninsula? Biological explanations (the different gens) or social explanations (different quality of medicine) do not work here. But science cannot offer other explanations. And what is most important we do not know how the virus will behave. The generosity in respect of Cyprus may continue but may end in few days. We see such things in Montenegro (where after 50 days of 1 or 0 cases and 40 days of zeros in 3 days the number of cases grew to 18), or in Bulgaria, or in Israel...

The same may happen (and must happen with present policy in Cyprus). But this would be even not most awful. The most awful will be the change of mortality. This may happen with the virus, the nature of which is unknown for us.

The second government mistake is the hope to "return to normality" and to continue living life we lived: tourism and services are our main exports, no high-tech, weak education and other "σιγά σιγά". The probability of such development is low. The world changed already in last few months and these changes will become bigger and bigger. The wise policy would be to use these good months to prepare to future challenge rather than pride themselves and continue old games around Cyprob. For example distance learning may become the demand of future reality. Home delivery of natural and cultural essentials may become the demand of future reality. And what is most important the structural changes of economy will definitely become the demand of future reality since they already became the demand for many years. The Cyprus will not be able to live our usual live in the world which is changed, in the new world.

We need to change ourselves together with the world. We need more technology, more digitalization and what is more important more modernity. And of course we need to develop our ability to produce the food of highest quality and to promote the export of "natural food". In tourism we need new form of "medical tourism" with long-term visitors who live in healthy mountain environment for months.

But to do all these we need first of all to change ourselves, our way of thinking.