Limassol will become the engine of change! – Article by Giorgos T. Georgiou, AKEL Political Bureau member and AKEL Limassol District Secretary

 

 

Saturday, 12 November 2022, “Haravgi” newspaper

Limassol has always been the engine of great change in our country. It has been the driving force in a wide range of important aspects of our lives. On Cyprus’ growth and economy, in Literature, Arts and Sciences. Through its struggles, Limassol has made history, making it a city of progress, democracy and social justice.

Limassol carries a heavy legacy of progress and radicalism and is rightly ranked as a landmark city, a reference city for a better Cyprus. The Limassol of Ploutis Servas, Kostas Partasides and Vassos Papadopoulos, the Limassol of the People’s Municipal Councils and the anti-colonial struggle, the Limassol that wrote a glorious page with the decision of the Central Committee of AKEL for participation in the Anti-Fascist Struggle of 16 June 1943, the Limassol of Resistance and Democracy that fought against the coup d’état, the Limassol of Demetris Kontides and Andreas Christou, all leave historical legacies that deserve to become models and emulated.

And today, when our Cyprus, our people have a historic appointment, namely the presidential elections of 2023, Limassol is it indifferent, nor is it indifferent to developments.

Our country is suffocating between the conservative and neoliberal policies promoting the narrative for “less state” intervention that impoverish our people. Our people are suffocating in the midst of the corruption and scandals that plague the whole of Cypriot society. Our people are living and experiencing the dead-end policies of the government ruling circles on the Cyprus problem and the dismantling of the welfare state. Never before has Cyprus been in such a desperate situation. Never before has Cyprus been at a point where social cohesion, an honest state, meritocracy, democracy and institutions were all under threat.

Limassol, the city and countryside, under the weight of problems and deadlocks, listens to the anguish of our people and rallies behind the independent candidacy of Andreas Mavroyiannis for the Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus. The messages coming from everywhere are messages of hope and optimism! All the communities of Limassol, every district and neighbourhood of Limassol are rallying around the candidacy Andreas Mavroyiannis as the only candidate with the credentials, the vision and programme for progressive, democratic change.

In this election we choose a President of the Republic who has the background, honesty, integrity and credibility to lead our country and people. He is the only candidate who confronts both the original DISY and copy DISY candidate [Averof Neofytou and Nikos Christodoulides], who for ten years now bear grave responsibilities for the political and socio-economic deadlocks in the country. They have taken exams and failed. Precisely because both of them, both Averof Neophytou and N. Christodoulides, have been the most powerful cogs of the ruling DISY party. They have given everything they had to give. The rest are empty and meaningless promises.

It is a hopeful prospect that hundreds of individuals and personalities are joining Andreas Mavroyiannis, coming from a broad political spectrum and contributing to the dynamism of this effort. This is the first time that so many processes are underway in the Limassol electorate, involving members of other parties.

Personalities such as Dr. Nikos Zamboglou, the former Prefect Kyriakos Tsolakis, Giannos Daniilides, Vanessa Kyprianou, Lefkios Doratis, Giannis Louvaris, Andreas Angelides, Mary Papadopoulou, Christos Giannoulis and hundreds of others are taking a stand and supporting the independent candidacy of Andreas Mavroyiannis.

This is the first time in Limassol that such participation, interest and sensitivity from the whole social spectrum has been observed. Every day a broad front is being formed by the forces of progress that put Cyprus above all else, who are together in the same trench seeking real change in the country.

The same is happening with the local electoral campaign groups of AKEL and the entire People’s Movement, who are carrying the message of the candidate of change, Andreas Mavroyiannis, from door to door. From everywhere, the message is the same. The message of an unrelenting struggle to change things and to increase the rallying of our forces

The comparative advantage that AKEL and the Cypriot Left have is live contact, communication with the people. No one else has this qualitative relationship. We can and must become the main spearhead of the forces of change. We are moving forward in a coordinated, dynamic and decisive way to vindicate the dreams and aspirations of our people. Change will come because it is now a social necessity, a popular demand.