Andros Kyprianou G.S. of the C.C. AKEL meets Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras

 

STATEMENTS OF ANDROS KYPRIANOU, GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE C.C. OF AKEL, AFTER THE MEETING WITH THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER ALEXIS TSIPRAS

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 16th March 2015, Nicosia

 

We had a very friendly discussion on the economic developments in Greece and Cyprus. These developments will affect both countries. We expressed our support to the efforts underway by the Greek government for the right to be given to implement such policies on a national level that can yield the same political results without the same kind of serious consequences existing to the detriment of the working people. Many of the decisions that are approved in the European Union are adopted not only based on economic criteria, but mostly according to political criteria. The ruling circles of the EU want to impose their decisions on all countries without exception. We disagree with this approach, and we want the different opinion to be heard.

Replying to a journalist’s observation that Cyprus is presented by certain circles as an example that should be followed, the General Secretary of AKEL said that the Europeans imposed decisions that have destroyed the Cyprus economy, which would have been better off today had these decisions not been taken, since these were not inevitable. They could have been avoided taking into account the discussions that were conducted at that time by the Christofias government with the Troika. The pressures being exerted on the Greek government are similar, maybe even greater, than those that were put on D. Christofias at that time.

That Cyprus is exiting from the Memorandum is one of the biggest jokes. All the Memoranda come to an end. They last for three years and after that there are the monitoring mechanisms from the lenders because the loan must be paid. Apart from that, there are also other EU decisions, such as for example the Lisbon Strategy, which impose a suffocating framework which does not allow us to pursue different policies. Let me give an example. Ireland is presented as a model country that came out of the Memorandum and is implementing its own policy. If that is the case then why are the Irish people continuously on the streets and demonstrating? Is it because they are prospering now that they have exited from the Memorandum? Whether Ireland is inside or outside the Memorandum, they are imposing the same policies on the Irish people.

Replying to a journalist’s comment that the Cyprus government is adopting a different position with regards support for the Greek government, A. Kyprianou said that AKEL supports the efforts of the Greek government. Our government I must say is following a two-faced approach. Mr. Anastasiades in public backs the efforts undertaken by the Greek government. However, his Minister of Finance in public and at the European Council of Minister meetings adopts a different position. I do not know what the Cyprus government’s real position is.

We also discussed the Cyprus problem with Mr. Tsipras. We discussed our concerns about the developments and the need to resume substantive negotiations soon; negotiations which should be based on the principles of the solution of the Cyprus problem. The Greek government and the Greek people overtime constitute our most fundamental bastion of support in this struggle to reunify Cyprus and we thank them for that.