Statement of Andros Kyprianou, General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL on the dillema of the Presidential elections

 

Press Office of the C.C. of AKEL, 18th February 2013, Nicosia

 

Yesterday, the citizens with their vote sent out multiple messages. They expressed their mandate that the crisis be tackled without harsh policies against society, for growth and development, for social cohesion and the speedy exploitation of our natural wealth. All this can be guaranteed only by the candidature of Stavros Malas.

 

Yesterday’s election result demonstrated once again something very important. Mr. Anastasiades called for a strong popular mandate for an outright majority in a first round election, which the people did not give him. A significant majority of the voters did not trust Mr Anastasiades because they know that his positions have no limits and conditions with regards the Cyprus problem. They know that the country’s critical problems will not be solved through the implementation of policies against the people’s interests as expressed by Mr. Anastasiades with plans for austerity, cuts and privatizations.

 

Mr. Anastasiades called for elections with an outright majority in the first round. When he thought he had fulfilled this goal he was overwhelmed by arrogance. Yet even before he was elected president, he began to show his true face. This is an omen and a signal of what is to follow, if he is elected. This proves that the self-criticism that he supposedly made all these months with regards the Cyprus problem and before the people was not and is not sincere.

 

Yesterday’s result sent messages to all political forces. We as AKEL, identified for decades with our people, with the workers and the middle class, respect these messages and take them very seriously into account.

 

The Second Round of the Presidential Election is a matter of all our country’s democratic and progressive forces without exception. Yesterday’s vote conveyed the message that the current conditions make the election of a new and credible President imperative; a President who will form a National Coalition Government involving personalities from the broadest spectrum of our country’s political life; a leader with concrete, pragmatic and progressive proposals.

 

AKEL, based on principles, supports this independent candidacy and believes that, together, united, we can block the way to the conservative policies of N. Anastasiades. Together, united, we can achieve the election of Stavros Malas, a young man, with a modern proposal, to the Presidency of the Republic.