British expats on the island of Rhodes held a peaceful protest opposing Brexit and the so-called “coup” orchestrated by prime minister Boris Johnson to close the UK Parliament ahead of the crucial developments in October.
They gathered opposite the Central Port Authority of Rhodes, holding small banners with slogans like “Brits in Greece”, “We are Europeans, Defend our Democracy”, “Defend our rights”, “Stop the coup”.
As one of the British nationals permanently residing in Rhodes told local media dimokratiki:
Today we have decided to protest how the new British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, treats our Republic. Closing the British House is anti-democratic. It is a coup and British nationals should not accept it. We will see what will be decided. But leaving the UK without an agreement in the European Union would be disastrous. And for British nationals living in other countries of the European Union, as we will lose our rights. If the British in the UK decide they want the country to finally leave the European Union, that’s fine. But we will lose our rights in other countries.”
Today in Rhodes Town #Rhodes #MandrakiHarbour #Greece #DefendDemocracy #StopTheCoup #StopTheBrexitCoup #stopbrexit #revokearticle50 #revokea50 #bollockstobrexit #bollockstoborris pic.twitter.com/jzvWc8whfc
— Κατερίνα 🇪🇺🇬🇷🇬🇧 #StopTheCoup🔶#FBPE♻️🌼🎪 (@kmqkatie) September 2, 2019
Protesters said that they live a normal life as expats, “we have families here, we pay taxes here. But we will lose our rights as British nationals – pensions etc.”
Therefore, if the United Kingdom eventually leaves Europe without an agreement, it will be disastrous for the country.
“We also complain about Boris Johnson’s decision to close Parliament. It is anti-democratic, ” they added.
British expats gathered at the port of Rhodes coming form the different place they live on the island.
They said that they will continue their protest next week, demanding that their voices are being heard.
PS thanks to KTG readers drawing our attention to the protest.
you no longer live in uk so shut up about it and concentrate instead on helping your chosen country get out of trouble.
That’s a very insightful comment, Anthony, but am not sure of the point you are making? Do you believe that it is ok to remove the rights of citizens, many of whom made many years of contributions to the uk, who are not arguing that the uk does not have free will to leave the EU but ask nothing more than the terms and conditions under which they moved be kept intact? Bearing in mind that they didn’t have the right to vote on an issue that would affect them so greatly.
If you have any specific issues, other than demanding that free speech and opinion be shut down I would be very grateful to hear them. Thank you.
Looks like you have forgotten what democracy means [ie the results of the referendum], and these ex-pats too. Let them re-locate to Britain to draw their pensions if what they claim is true – which is doubtful. None of the British ex-pats living all over the world have lost their pensions so why should ex-pats in Greece? This is witless **scare** propaganda.
in case of no-deal, they will be excluded from pension rises, I read recently.
The contributions made refers to the NI contributions made towards . These have been made throughout the working life of pensioners and will end in the event of no deal. Relocating back to the uk will not he a means of solving this problem as they are not habitual residents there they have been informed that they will not be eligible for healthcare in the uk upon their return either.
This is not scare tactics. This is official information provided via the uk embassy. This is what happens when previous EU citizens suddenly become Third country nationals. This is just one of many problems people will face, sadly.
I’m afraid that Antony’s comments are typical of Brexit supporters in the UK. They cannot tolerate dissent, and if you dare to choose to live elsewhere then they call you a traitor and insist you should have no more say in UK affairs. I’m frankly ashamed of the way the UK is behaving over Brexit, and I’m particularly ashamed of the intolerance and animosity shown by Brexit supporters like Anthony. He does not speak for ALL British people.
Anthony is speaking for a smal but lod minority of the British population.
That is a bit rich when all the intolerance and vile abuse (wanting Brexit voters dead for example) is coming from the remainer side. Bad losers the lot of them. How many of these are protesting because they think it will make them worse off. Most if not all. I live in Greece out of choice. I do not live in the EU. It may cost me more in the long run but at least I believe in my country (yes I am still English) and don’t need it to be ruled and ruined by mainly unelected and undemocratic Brussels. I am ashamed of all the anti democratic and cry baby fanatics who talk of a coup when this is what they have been trying to achieve for years. Now there is the possibility of a general election to sort the mess out they are all clucking about like the scared chickens that they are.
Actually, Mel, I can state that I have never stooped to being either vile or intolerant, though I have been on tbe receiving end of it as a remainer. It is not justified in either direction and calling someone a cry baby when the issue that they are trying to make is that the rights with which they moved with will be removed from the when they become suddenly third country nationals is an odd turn of phrase.
I do not quite understand your suggestion that they have bern trying to achieve a closure of parliament to prevent discussions regarding arranging a deal either. Coukd you please explain?
I think that voting yourself poorer or voting your rights away may be construde as a little foolish, that said most of these people had no vote on an issue that greatly affects their lives. For better or worse.
If the uk wishes to leave and you believe that is in tne country’s best interest then so be it. Freedom of movement can be halted when they do. No problem. But stripping rights from people retrospectively?
Please note that the vote was won by 67% to join the EU. That was a democratic decision also and provided the terms and conditions that people exercised their FOM rights, no?
As for a general election….would you really want to campaign to inherit this mess? That’s not really scared. That is just common sense.
Perhaps these people that are claiming that they will lose certain rights would care to explain exactly which “rights” they are going to lose?
There has been a clear commitment by the UK government that no EU nationals will lose any rights in the UK so surely the EU elected leaders will reciprocate?
There is no legal commitment from the UK government stating this — other than the usual political lies and garbage. The rights referred to are those conferred by the EU coordination of social security provisions for EU nationals moving between EU countries — Regulation 1408/71 and its replacement 883/2004. When the UK leaves the EU, these arrangements are no longer applicable.
All of the UK bilateral pensions agreements with other countries fail to update pensions in line with inflation for those countries: UK pensioners in Australia, for example, end up with a pension after 20 years so low that it is worthless. Therefore, UK nationals relying on UK law can expect very poor treatment.
It is possible that more favourable provisions could be enacted in the future, but as things stand the UK has made no effort to arrange such. Another straw of hope could lie in the massive number of court actions that will definitely be brought against the UK in European and UK courts for its treatment of UK nationals resident within the EU. Doubtless, the Vienna Convention and its presumption of continued rights will be invoked, along with the European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence on pension rights as property rights. If the UK should be so brazen and reckless as to proceed with a treaty-less Brexit, there will be decades of economic chaos and legal actions that will preoccupy all UK governments and will guarantee a massive drop in living standards for most UK residents — other than the billionaires who promoted and financed the Brexit campaign. They are laughing all the way to the banks (that they own) about the morons who voted to make themselves even poorer and more miserable.