The Democratic Party’s leadership should reflect on its positions with regards the Cyprus problem and the economy

Statement of Georgos Loucaides, AKEL C.C. Spokesperson

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 22nd March 2016, Nicosia

AKEL expresses its regret at the Democratic Party leadership’s repeated attempts to identify AKEL with the governing DISY party, distorting at the same time AKEL’s positions and policy.

AKEL has not changed its positions on the Cyprus problem not one iota and will not apologize if other political forces are approaching AKEL’s policies which have been vindicated by life and developments themselves. Other forces and circles, perhaps, must reflect as to why their positions on the Cyprus problem have gradually led them into the same camp with the most extreme chauvinist forces.

The leadership of the Democratic Party must also reflect why in recent years it has unfortunately to a large extent been identified with the extreme anti-social policies that have shifted the burden of the banking crisis on to the backs of the middle and low income strata, making the poor poorer and the rich richer. AKEL recalls, characteristically, DIKO’s stand on foreclosures, the insolvency issue, privatizations, the rejection of the proposal to increase tax on profits and the promotion of unfair taxation on immovable property.

If today the leadership of DIKO recognizes its wrongful alignment with DISY party and the Anastasiades government, this would represent a welcome development. But it must be demonstrated in practice through changes in its policies and through the simultaneous clearing up that this collusion between DIKO-DISY in recent years will not continue in the election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, in the municipal and Presidential elections. Actions speak louder than words…