Cyprus Government’s New Policy : No Army Duty If Parents Are Ship-Owners
The government of Cyprus is pushing for a new law to exempt children of ship-owners from army duty, as long as their families move to the island and transfer their shipping business to Cyprus.
The Presidential Cabinet took the decision in an effort to attract more business, including shipping companies who operate under a Cypriot flag or who have satellite offices in Cyprus.
“As part of a general policy to attract foreign investment to Cyprus, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works is promoting a package of measures to give incentives to Cypriot ship-owners in order for them to conduct business in Cyprus.”
New tax exemptions in the name of national defence had been introduced in 2002. However, obligatory military service would often be a deterrent for many families whose children were born and raised in other cultures.
Article 18 of the National Guard law stipulates that all citizens of the Republic, or those who have at least one Cypriot parent, must serve their duty. However, article 28 gives some flexibility to the Presidential Cabinet to exempt individuals or groups of individuals on the basis of national interest.
Source: inCyprus
