Closure of the Conference’s proceedings by the Secretary General of AKEL
Sunday, 17th September 2017, State Fair Conference Hall
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 15th September 2017, Nicosia
We once again gave examples of intra-party democracy, which I do not think anyone can meet in another political party.
We have discussed thoroughly and exhaustively. We said opinions, we made decisions.
Now is the time of work. Make our decisions hard work and hard work winning result.
We support the candidacy of a person with integrity, honesty, ethos and abilities that are widely recognized by society itself. I am sure that you, like me, with whom you spoke all this time and with people outside the Movement, heard the same conversation “we have nothing wrong to say about Stavros Mala, he has nothing to do with him, he has nothing against him”.
This is Stavros Malas. A young and clean man who can express most, rally the best, meet the visions of the majority of Cypriot society and gain confidence.
The stakes and dilemmas of the upcoming Presidential Elections are historic. Above all, with regard to the solution to the Cyprus problem. Things have blown. We need to keep the hope for the solution alive. A solution based on the diachronic principles we have agreed with the international and the T / Cypriot community and we are fighting for these principles.
It is of paramount importance to capitalize on the enormous capital of energy for the benefit of the Cypriot people and to make a fair redistribution of wealth. Stop the widening of the social inequality that the Anastasiadis-Alarm government threw us. It is impor- tant that our place is to proceed with progressive reforms and at last to confront and combat the phenomena of interdependence and corruption that have literally overwhelmed us.
All this can not be done by a President whom his followers no longer believe in when he speaks to them. A politician of the past generation, and above all an outdated mindset, who is throwing rumors here and there in order to vote for him. He sacrificed the Cypriot at the altar of his re-election. That plunged the place into economic inequality.
All this can not be done by a candidate-variant of Mr. Anastasiades. A genuine child of the establishment, of the financial, the banking and not only. What can the place expect from Mr. Nicholas Papadopoulos? Solution to the Cyprus problem? Which solution? It will take them at least five years to agree with each other, DIKO or EDEK and Solidarity what solution they want. And then what? We will crucify our hands and we will expect Turkey to recognize our EEZ in order to incur costs. This is Mr Papadopoulos’s new strategy. And then, what is going to do in the economy? Those who voted with Mr. Averoff Neophytou in the House will apply them. What he left, if he left something, Mr. Anastasiades, will be flattened by Mr. Papadopoulos.
For Mr. George Lillikas, what is left to say? Most of you in this room know him well. Most of you in this room turned with him from village to village for election, to be elected to parliamentary offices. Another one who told us thank you. On the substance, however, as dangerous for the Cyprus problem is Mr. Papadopoulos, so is Lillikas. How can the people trust in the presidential post a man who sleeps with a position and wakes up with another?
Stavros Mala’s candidacy is a one-way street for those who want Cyprus to have a future and a prospect.
We have to give a difficult fight. A battle against impotent engagements, the various ruses, the interwoven, the acquisition of consciousness. It is times when some candidates give the impression that they do not want to win the election, but to buy them.
We must have no doubt that our political opponents will exhaust their anti-AKELISM in these elections. Already after the announcement of Stavros’ candidacy, columnists began to say “this is what AKEL supports,” but others are supported by “leftist roots”. It is for them an original sin to be a leftist, to have AKEL, to support a candidate. It is for them an original sin that there are some who speak of a homeland, a people, there is a voice crying out for the whole of Cyprus and for Greek Cypriots and for Turkish Cypriots. To fight for the many, not the few.
It is for them an original sin that they can not buy us, they can not have us at hand.
For all these reasons, we will fight two times more united.
Twice more rallies.
Two times more decisive in order to take the big step.
To win tomorrow.
The tomorrow that joins us together with Stavros Mala!
