Speech by AKEL Aristos Damianou member of the Secretariat and Political Bureau of AKEL at a party rally

 

8 September 2026, PEO Limassol Trade Union Hall

Our rally today, like others we are holding at the moment, takes place at a time when Cyprus is facing significant challenges, as well as critical choices. And, of course, all this during a prolonged period of social and political deadlocks and deficits. Consequently, this is not a time for making easy observations or engaging in sloganeering– something to which the current government is addicted to

It is a period that demands seriousness, responsibility, a clear political plan and, above all, a clear vision of the kind of country we wish to build.

Cyprus is facing a difficult socio-economic reality, with serious unresolved issues in the energy sector, problems of institutional credibility and corruption and, above all, the long-standing, major unresolved issue of the Cyprus problem.

All these factors are intertwined and create a picture of pessimism, anger and disappointment. For they are linked to the flawed developmental model chosen by the Right, to the way the state operates, to the quality of our democracy, to Cyprus’s position in Europe and the region and, ultimately, with whether we can offer future generations a homeland that is safe, peaceful, socially just and economically sustainable.

And this is precisely where AKEL, all of us here and the tens of thousands out there, are called upon to lead the great effort for progressive change. To lead the effort to rally forces in a mass social movement that will bring about progressive change in our country. Because 15 years of anti-people and dead-end policies are far too many. Because Cyprus must turn a new page.

I believe that today there is a fundamental question we must answer honestly:

What direction is the country heading in? And what direction should the country be heading in?

Because a government is not judged solely by the size of its budget surpluses or by its growth rates. It is judged by the extent to which economic growth improves the lives of the social majority. It is judged by the extent to which the state can effectively tackle problems. It is judged by the extent to which citizens feel that there is justice, meritocracy and equality before the law. It is judged by the extent to which young people are able to build a life for themselves in Cyprus. And it is judged, of course, by the extent to which our community has a strategy and credibility regarding the Cyprus issue.

Our position is that the current government is recording positive figures as regards certain macroeconomic indicators, mainly due to circumstantial factors rather than the result of any strategic choices and its own policies, but it has failed to transform this relative economic growth into a sustainable economic model of development and offering prospects for society.

And this is a fundamental political difference between us and the mainstream parties, and certainly the government.

Because the economy is not just about numbers. It is about wages, pensions, the rent, loan repayments, electricity bills, and a young people’s ability to start a family and put a roof over their head. It is the ability of a small family business to remain viable.

Expensiveness remains a reality for thousands of families. And rising prices and costs, coupled with pressures on the cost of energy and essential goods, shows that we cannot tackle the issue with piecemeal measures.

Our position is that a different economic policy is needed – one that tackles not only the consequences, but also the causes.

Energy and the cost of electricity are a prime example.

Cyprus remains an energy-isolated country, with high electricity costs and an energy system in need of far-reaching structural changes. AKEL is very clear on this. The energy transition cannot simply be a list of projects that are announced but never completed. It must translate into lower costs for society. And it demands a policy that protects the consumer. The Christodoulides government, like the government of the current President’s mentor, that of Nicos Anastasiades, has neither the vision, nor the social awareness, nor the political instincts to implement a strategic energy plan.

After all, we cannot, for example, ask society to support the green transition without ensuring that the benefits of this transition are returned to society. The issue of electricity is precisely an example of the need for long-term planning. Cyprus cannot be governed by measures devised only once a crisis has already arisen. It needs the elaboration of a long-term energy strategy. It is within this context that the debate on the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) takes place; on our own initiative, we discussed this again today in the House of Representatives.

I wish to emphasise AKEL’s position once again. The debate on connecting Cyprus to the European electricity grid is of strategic importance. This is precisely why it cannot be subject to haphazard or contradictory government handlings. The question is not whether one is for or against the interconnection. The question is whether this specific project, with its specific costs, specific financing structure, specific dangers and specific commitments on the part of the State, actually serves the public interest.

And to answer that, we need evidence. AKEL has requested specific answers regarding the project’s viability, the financing model and the state’s obligations. In the case of major public works, the government cannot ask for trust without providing any documentation. All the more so when the Minister of Finance himself publicly expresses reservations.

Comrades,

For many years, the negotiation procedure remained effectively frozen. The failure of the Crans Montana conference left a big political void in its wake. A period of stagnation followed, during which the absence of meaningful dialogue created new faits accomplis and reinforced mutual mistrust. At the same time, the situation on the ground did not remain static. The passage of time is not neutral. Every year that passes without a solution creates new difficulties for that solution. And – let’s be honest – every new generation that grows up without really knowing the other community makes reunification more difficult. And every new fait accompli makes it more difficult to return to the agreed basis for a solution, which must be the objective.

That is precisely why AKEL insists that inaction is not an option. The forthcoming meeting between the two leaders and the contacts between the negotiators create an opportunity to put the procedure back on track. However, we must not harbour any illusions. The resumption of dialogue does not automatically mean a return to substantive negotiations. There is a long way to go. There is a deep-seated mistrust. There are differing views on the basis for a solution. There are disagreements over political equality, security, guarantees and governance.

There is, moreover, an international environment that has changed dramatically. This is precisely why it is not enough to verbally declare that we want talks to resume. We must create the political preconditions to ensure that these talks can lead somewhere.

For us, the answer can be none other than a commitment to the agreed basis for a solution: a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality, as described in the relevant United Nations resolutions. This is not merely a long standing position of AKEL. It is the framework upon which the convergences recorded between the two communities and the international effort to resolve the Cyprus problem have been built over time.

If we abandon this basis, we will not arrive at a better solution. We will be heading towards the permanent partition of the island. This is something that both the advocates of partition but also those who know only too well that the status quo suits them.

That is why consistency is needed. Political credibility is needed. And we must avoid both exaggerated expectations and a defeatist attitude. This means we must have the courage to look at our own side as well. It is not politically responsible, comrades, to present the resolution of the Cyprus problem as something that depends exclusively on the other side. Turkey certainly bears a huge responsibility. The Turkish occupation and the continued presence of the Turkish army are at the heart of the problem.

However, our own side must know what it wants, what it is demanding and, above all, how it will achieve it. We need a policy that invests in the prospect of reunification, not merely in managing the de facto partition.

There is another aspect that we consider particularly important. Of course, the Cyprus problem is first and foremost a matter of invasion, occupation, foreign interventions and the violation of international law. However, the Cyprus problem is also a social issue. It is a question of how people will live in a reunified Cyprus. It is a question of restoring relations between the two communities. It is a matter of political rapprochement –  a privileged, if not exclusive, arena of struggle for the Left and AKEL.

It is within this complex social and political environment, comrades, that the procedure for selecting a candidate for President of the Republic will begin in the coming months. You are aware that the Party’s new collective leadership has concluded that we must be ready in good time, just as we threw ourselves into the parliamentary election campaign in good time and emerged victorious.

All sorts of things are being said and written about us without our input. About supposedly finalised decisions having been taken, about preferences and other fanciful notions. The truth is this. We will be the ones to make AKEL’s choices. We will be the ones to take AKEL’s decisions. Without pre-exclusions and without pre-judgements. With one central aim: to select a leader who, on the basis of political consensus, can build a progressive social majority and win the presidential election. We are going into the election to win. And all the conditions are in place – yes – for us to win. For our people to win. For working people to breathe a sigh of relief.

That is why, friends, we must not view 2028 merely as an election year. We must view it as a horizon for political preparation. By then, we must have convinced society not only that the current government has failed in key areas – which it has.

We must have convinced them that we can govern better and more fairly. With progressive policies, but also with realism. With a clear political identity, but also with the ability to engage with the whole of society. This is the big challenge. We must not limit ourselves to defending those who already support us. We must also reach out to those who have drifted away. To those who have become disillusioned with politics. To young people who do not feel that the established parties speak their language. After all, with 100 years of honourable service and action behind us, we remain strong and fully prepared for the great battles ahead.

Comrades, we shall wage this battle together. Collectively, vigorously, resolutely. But above all, with self-confidence and pride. For the 100 years of the Communist Party of Cyprus-AKEL, which we shall be commemorating tomorrow in front of the Party’s Central Committee Offices, represent not only our legacy but also a guarantee for the next 100 years.

May our struggles be victorious!