DISY has failed! Time for Change! – Article by Giorgos T. Georgiou – Member of the Political Bureau, AKEL Limassol District Secretary

 

 

Saturday 5 February 2022, “Haravgi’ newspaper

The 2023 presidential elections may be the most crucial in our country’s recent history, not because other elections have not had their own significance or critical character. This time, however, there is a lot at stake that has to do with the present and future of Cyprus.

The conservative Right, the ruling DISY party and the government of Nicos Anastasiades in their 9 years of rule have taken a test and have failed. In the minds of the Cypriot people they are now a failure.

Now, in substance, why did DISY fail?

1. They have undermined the prospects of a solution to the Cyprus problem. The “leader of the solution” is daily being transformed into the leader of division and partition. They have repeatedly given Turkey an alibi and room to promote its aggression. We are already paying a heavy price for the collapse of the Crans Montana conference on Cyprus and the prolonged deadlock surrounding the Cyprus problem, with all the dangers that this entails. What can one say about the opening of Varosha, which the government ruling forces considered to be a communication trick by Turkey, or the sanctions that their friends and allies in the EU were supposed to impose on Turkey that were never implemented! The President’s sounding outs about a two state solution and the government ruling force’s “fanciful” ideas have shattered the dreams and expectations of our people for a peaceful reunification – liberation of our homeland.
2. They did the same with their energy plans, where they gave Turkey the right to dispute the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Republic of Cyprus, at the same time as they committed themselves to the arrival of natural gas in 2015, 2018 and so on. What can one say about the notorious trilateral meetings that would have supposedly protected the Cypriot EEZ or about Turkey’s exploration efforts when they were reassuring us because… Turkey has supposedly no ships, whilst today it has 4 exploration ships.
3. Corruption, entanglement/interwoven interests and scandals are running rampant. Cyprus is now ranked as one of the most corrupt states in the world. Shall we talk about the clientelism/cronyism, the absence of meritocracy and arrogance of this government? It is the only government that clashes with the institutions on a daily basis. Authoritarianism and arbitrariness are their daily practice. In particular, however, what happened with the golden passports scandal, where they turned the investment programme into an industry handing it over to the entire international underworld, is a crime against our people.
4. Neoliberal policies, the high cost of living and price hikes, unemployment and inflation have impoverished our people. Some 200,000 citizens live below the poverty line. Pensioners, the vulnerable and fragile groups of the population are hungry and suffering. The right to housing has become a privilege for the few.
5. The privatisation of the port of Limassol is a huge scandal and today, with the arbitrary increases they are imposing at a difficult time, instead of taking the contractors by the ear, they are asking, if possible, that the state – and by extension the people – should bear the burden of the increases in charges. What more can we say about the closure of the Grains Commission, the selloff of the Cyprus Cooperative Bank…
6. The policies of austerity and cuts have destroyed the public health and education system.

We could write and talk for hours about the life and results of the present government ruling forces. They are now dangerous for the people! Now is precisely the time for the people to speak up. It is time for progressive and democratic change in our country. Their possible staying in power is a fear, terror and nightmare for the Cypriot people!

AKEL, as a patriotic political force, will work hard to build a broad coalition for progressive change in our country. It will spare no sacrifices towards this end. Cyprus and our people is above all else. There is a majority current in society that demands change here and now!

We must not be refuted, nor should we refute. We will once again fulfill our patriotic duty, because in the face of the dangers that are accumulating for our country, all the forces of progress and democracy must put our country and people above everything else.