AKEL GS S.Stefanou: Anastasiades isn’t moved by what is happening – If he had any sensitivity he would have resigned
29 October 2021, ‘Astra’ radio
If there was any political sensitivity, President Anastasiades would have resigned a long time ago, AKEL’s General Secretary said on the corruption phenomena.
Speaking on ASTRA’s afternoon program, Stefanos Stefanou accused the government ruling forces of shifting responsibilities elsewhere, while with provocative audacity they are also adding insult to injury. As he said, at the same time as a whole range of issues have arisen with the Presidency, Nicos Anastasiades is not moved. S.Stefanou said that the government is not concerned with the humiliation of Cyprus that has emerged as a result of the own policies it has been pursuing, adding that the government and the ruling party DISY don’t give a damn about anyone.
On the allegations made by the Auditor General today, the General Secretary of AKEL accused the government ruling forces of also subjugating and putting institutions under their control, saying that they have appointed numerous people in almost all the institutions, resulting in independent institutions being afraid to tell it like it actually is. He made public AKEL’s intention to bring the issue back for discussion in the Parliamentary Audit Committee and will invite the Presidency and the institutions involved to give explanations and provide answers.
Furthermore, commenting on today’s announcement by the ruling DISY party, S.Stefanou stressed that it is not AKEL that has been dragging Cyprus down the mud and humiliating our country abroad, nor is it AKEL that forced its MEP’s to vote against the resolution approved by the European Parliament on the Pandora papers.
In addition, the General Secretary of AKEL said that a conflict of interest issue arises when the law firm of Nicos Anastasiades, which is 50% owned by his daughters, makes applications for the granting of ‘golden’ passports and these are approved by the Council of Ministers chaired by their father – who is President Anastasiades. S.Stefanou said that conflict of interest and political sensitivity do not need an investigation to be verified, but emerge from the facts and where the rule of law is applied and practiced. That is precisely why, he underlined, in other countries, high-ranking officials and Prime Ministers resign as they are rumored to be involved in corruption cases.
The General Secretary of AKEL called on citizens to participate en masse in the mobilisation due to take place tomorrow at 10:30 am outside the Presidential Palace in order to send a resounding reply to the government ruling forces for their abysmal audacity. He pointed out that AKEL will continue to exert political pressure so that President Anastasiades himself is put under pressure as he normally should have already resigned and because he isn’t resigning. He and his party DISY must pay the political cost. S.Stefanou stressed that tomorrow’s mobilisation is open to all citizens.
On the upcoming presidential elections, the General Secretary of AKEL did not want to comment on the issue, saying that there should be an initial consultation/discussion conducted at the Party’s grassroots base on who the Party’s candidate will be. Furthermore, he said that there will be a discussion held with citizens, while AKEL will try to discuss with other political forces too.
