Interview with Giorgos Loucaides, AKEL Political Bureau member and Head of AKEL’s Parliamentary Group

 

March 2021 edition of “NEOLEA”, monthly newspaper of EDON Youth Organisation

“AKEL is the most consistent and steadfast opposition force and therefore the force that militantly defends the rights of the many and underprivileged”

AKEL all this time struggled against the neoliberal, conservative government policies and defended the rights of all these groups

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“N”: In recent years, the rights of working people and youth have come under severe attacks, while the pandemic has made things even more difficult. What was AKEL’s parliamentary work during this period and what are its main assertions today in general bearing in mind the pandemic too?

GL: The conclusion that in recent years, especially since Nikos Anastasiades and the ruling Democratic Rally DISY party have been in power, the rights of working people – but not just them – are under attack is regrettably absolutely correct. Along with working people, pensioners, vulnerable groups of the population, youth and women are also under attack. Obviously AKEL all through this period stood against the conservative government’s neoliberal policies in our struggles to defend the rights of all these groups.

Towards this end, we used all available parliamentary means by submitting draft bills, tabling amendments to government bills, registering issues for discussion and raising numerous questions to relevant Ministries, aiming at exercising parliamentary scrutiny over the government.

At the same time we maintained constant contacts with the people, organized groups and assertive movements, so that we could become their own voice in Parliament. It’s difficult for me to refer to all our work in Parliament, given that the brief presentation in the last public report we made as a Parliamentary Group, covered close to 100 pages of text.

As far as the current period is concerned, it is indicative that according to figures released by the European Statistical Office Eurostat, Cyprus has recorded the second worst figures across Europe with regards loss of incomes during the pandemic, despite the propaganda of the government ruling forces who are declaring that they have supposedly given the most generous support package. Eurostat reveals the same distressing picture with regards spending on the public health system during the pandemic period, as a continuation of the chronic underfunding imposed by the DISY government.

As AKEL, we are taking a series of initiatives – both inside and outside Parliament – to provide effective support to those affected by the pandemic’s negative consequences. These include people of culture and art workers, small and medium-sized enterprises, gyms, leisure centres, restaurants, the self-employed, pensioners and generally all those categories that have been left behind by the government. Our goal was and continues to be, especially in the conditions of the pandemic, that no one should be left alone.

“N”: How difficult is AKEL’s work in Parliament? What is the important difference between AKEL and the rest of the opposition? Is an alliance possible with other parties?

GL: It is true that during the first years of the DISY administration, the way the other opposition parties were acting gave a lifeline or even provided direct support to the government’s anti-social and neo-liberal policies. This lasted for a few years. Things have changed along the way, especially after the 2018 presidential elections. This difference can be explained as a result of this government’s policies, the time that has elapsed since the period of Christofias’ rule and mainly due to the general social outcry against the government’s policies, in combination naturally, with the change in the political stance of some of the other opposition parties.

This has led to similar or common positions with other political forces and the formation of a strong parliamentary majority on various issues. One such example was our attempt to prevent the government from proceeding with new privatizations or against the government’s actions for the dissolution of the Cooperative movement, where the majority of the parliamentary parties agreed on the tabling of a joint resolution – with the exception of ruling DISY and the extreme-right ELAM partyπ.

The above highlights the most important difference AKEL has from the other opposition parties, with our Party being the most consistent and steadfast opposition force and consequently the force that militantly defends the rights of the many and non-privileged strata, against the government’s policies that serve the economic oligarchy. We are the Party that has defended with consistency the rule of law and the democratic functioning of institutions, against the DISY government’s arrogance and regime practices. We are, as AKEL, the Party that from the very beginning stood resolutely against the institutional corruption that started from the highest state level and which has discredited our country’s reputation all over the world.

“N”: In your opinion, can a different balance of forces be formed in the new parliament, that would meet the needs of the many and not the few? What does a strong presence of AKEL mean for the popular strata, but also for the new Parliament?

The first thing that needs to be stressed is that the stronger AKEL emerges from these elections, the greater will the power of citizens both inside and outside Parliament be to defend all these rights that we have referred to.

The second thing we should underline is that the stronger AKEL emerges from these elections, the greater will the guarantee for the change in government be and getting rid of the DISY government. Consequently, it is important that those who are protesting, voicing their anger and suffering from the government’s policies realise that backing AKEL is the best option to put our country on another alternative path to achieve the Cyprus that we all deserve.

We consider that one can certainly understand that AKEL, as the biggest and most consistent opposition party, will assume the greatest burden in the effort to get rid of this government. Therefore, those who are suffocating on the ruins left behind by this government and consider themselves as belonging to the broader spectrum of ​​the Left, must not allow the DISY government to have hopes for securing a third term in office and even worse to become equally responsible for such an eventuality. On the contrary, they can change things by their stand and vote, by backing the ultimate and authentic force of change and perspective.

“N”: Unfortunately, a section of citizens believe that all political parties are the same, as a result of which they devalue the electoral process. What do you think is the reason behind the big abstention of voters in recent years? What would you say to this section of people, because in practice AKEL is different from the other parties?

The issue of devaluation/depreciation, not only of electoral processes, but of politics in general too by a significant section of the population, particularly young people, is a political and social phenomenon that can and must be interpreted through various levels. This is due to a multitude of factors and a comprehensive theoretical analysis is needed to define the causes that have led to this state of affairs.

In any case, abstention, to which the establishment is enticing the people towards, will not resolve any of the issues that concern those who opt to do so. On the contrary, it will make people’s problems worse. The position that “they are all the same” is the best recipe for reproducing the same rotten phenomena. Tolstoy was right when he said that great tragedies occur when one is tempted by the words “everybody acts the same” and that “they’re all the same”. The reality is that as in life, so in politics too, there are no two people alike. Under no circumstances whatsoever must we accept the aphorism that all political parties are the same. The challenge for everyone is to really go deep into the essence of issues and provided that is done the huge differences between the political parties are discernable.

I stress that AKEL, through its long standing activity and service, without being infallible, differs significantly and represents a qualitative difference from other political forces because of its consistency, responsibility and seriousness. Through the fact that no one has AKEL under its control, through the steadfast defence of the interests of the underprivileged of this society. Through its consistency in the handling of the principal national issue, namely the Cyprus problem and unfortunately through its tragic confirmation, over time but also in the current conditions.