Positive results from Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ visit to Cyprus

 

Statement by Georgos Loucaides, AKEL C.C. Spokesperson

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 3rd February 2015, Nicosia

 

AKEL expresses its satisfaction, evaluating the results of the visit of the Prime Minister of Greece to Cyprus as positive, both on the symbolic and practical level.

From the concise messages transmitted by the visit of Mr. Tsipras to Cyprus, AKEL singles out the following:

– The commitment to the need for close cooperation and common course between Greece and Cyprus on the main issues and challenges our countries are facing.

– The clear position of the Greek government’s dedication to the strategic goal of a bizonal bicommunal federal solution that will be in line with International Law and the relevant United Nations resolutions.

– The condemnation of the Turkish provocations and Turkey’s on-going aggression in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus EEZ.

– The firm proclamation of the Prime Minister of Greece that the need for improving and the general course of Greek-Turkish relations depends directly on Turkey’s stand and position in relation to Cyprus and the Cyprus problem.

– The highlighting of the important role that Greece and Cyprus can play in the south-eastern edge of Europe, as countries with stability and security.

– The transmission of messages to the Turkish Cypriot community, as an integral part of the Cypriot people, highlighting both the role and the significant benefits that will stem from it, after a viable and workable solution of the Cyprus problem.

– The determination shown by the new Greek government to assert, as an equal partner in the European Union, the revision of the on-going savage austerity policies that have been imposed, especially in recent years, through non-transparent and procedures and mechanisms devoid of any democratic legitimacy, such as the Troika.

– The appeal made by the Prime Minister of Greece to Cyprus to support Greece in its just and logical assertions, whose successful outcome will undoubtedly be beneficial for Cyprus, but also for the European peoples in general.

We note the Anastasiades government’s pledge to cooperate and enhance this difficult effort of the Greek government.

We genuinely hope this position of the government will prove to be sincere and accompanied by concrete proposals and actions that will demonstrate a change in the government’s philosophy with regards its current policy of blind subordination and submission to the yoke of the Memorandum and the Troika.

However, we cannot but note the fact that at the same time when the President of the Republic pledged to support the new Greek government, the Minister of Finance stated that the Memoranda policies being implemented in our country are delivering positive results and must continue. In addition, we cannot forget what the President of the governing DISY Rally party President Averof Neophytou and Finance Minister Haris Georgiades stated last week, regarding the different philosophy of the government with the new Greek government on the issues of the economy and the Memorandum.

Consequently, we expect the Anastasiades government to show in practice that it has stopped believing the Memorandum as its manifesto. We also call on the government to exploit, together with the Greek government, the stronger mood of questioning the dominant policies of Brussels, by pursuing an assertive policy towards Cyprus’ lenders so that the vicious redistribution of wealth in our country to the benefit of domestic and foreign large private interests is terminated, and thus the termination of the impoverishment of Cypriot people.