(MENAFN - AFP) "How do I feel about the bailout? I will tell you from the heart. We are facing an economic war," said Mano, a souvenir shop owner in Cyprus which is facing crippling EU bailout terms.Like many Cypriots, Mano feels betrayed by the European Union and his government for agreeing the 10-billion-euro (13 billion) bailout that will impose an unprecedented levy on all bank deposits in return."My son is in the army. Next year he will be going to university. He has saved five thousand euros. But against his will, they will take 300 euros from him. The EU will be stealing legally from his pocket," said Mano."I always taught my son to be straight. I hope he will not follow the morality of the EU."A few streets away from Mano's Nicosia shop, public sector employee Elpida is sitting in a cafe with her husband and daughter, enjoying the Sunday sunshine and an iced coffee.She too is still digesting the announcement made early on Saturday after marathon talks in Brussels between Cyprus and fellow eurozone members."I feel betrayed. This decision might bring good results in terms of arithmetics but it will break our trust in the economy," she said.Many Cypriots have rushed to withdraw cash from ATM machines across the Mediterranean island since the announcement was made on Saturday at the start of a three-day holiday weekend, but not Elpida."I felt it was pointless to go and it would be frustrating if I could not withdraw money," she said.Andreas Hadgigeorghiou, a dentist, said he was angry because the bailout is the first in the eurozone in which private depositors are having to help foot the bill."Many countries have economic problems more than Cyprus. Why are they doing this only in Cyprus?" he lamented.Others said they were simply resigned to the bailout and refused to talk about it -- "because we just want to enjoy our coffee now while we can," in the words of one woman.The streets of Nicosia were largely empty on Sunday as most families were off to the coast or the countryside to enjoy the weekend break and prepare for the Green Monday bank holiday which marks the start of Lent for the Greek Orthodox.For Mano, the decision to announce the bailout deal early on Saturday was a calculated one by the Cypriot government and the Eurogroup whom he brands as "the biggest thieves I have ever seen.""They know that Green Monday is a special day for Cypriots, that people will go to their villages and be with their families to eat, drink wine and relax," and be at the most vulnerable he said.Elpida agreed, saying the absence of weekend street protests was because people had taken by surprise."Some people are still in a state of shock and still don't realise what happened. They don't know how to react," she said. "What do you do? Do you go out on the streets and start yelling?"Cyprus postponed an emergency debate in parliament on the bailout until Monday in the face of hostility to its terms among many MPs.But despite the public statements of opposition, many people expect that the bailout will eventually go through."It is too late now. The damage has been done," said one banker, who works mostly with an international clientele."In any case, I think that, when banks reopen, we will lose the foreign depositors," said the banker, alluding to the many Russians who had regarded Cyprus as a safe haven for their investments, sparking money-laundering allegations.Irini Makrides, who owns shoe shops across the Mediterranean island, said there is nothing that can be done but for the MPs to approve the bailout."I am not happy, but they have to sign," she said. "But the levy must be a one-off."Mano said that in the end Cypriots would have to cope with the demands of the Eurogroup." They are not going to allow us to breathe... but we will survive," he said. "We have no other choice."
