The government must understand that the reason why their voters are turning their backs on them is not because AKEL is criticizing them, nor can they address the problems they face with their voters by denigrating, cursing and nullifying AKEL, whilst also insulting the intelligence of the whole of the Cypriot people

Statement by the General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL A. Kyprianou

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 21 May 2019, Nicosia

I want to express my regret at the way in which Mr. Anastasiades has chosen to address the issue of his references to the people of AKEL as “zeros”.

If Mr. Anastasiades had apologized and attributed everything he said to some slip of the tongue, the matter would be considered as over by us. But the fact that he is attempting to justify it, in the way he is doing so, makes matters even worse.

What were they seeking to tell us yesterday? They tried to say that AKEL has distorted the President’s words and has referred selectively to part of what he has said.

In this case too, they are telling half-truths. They have neglected to give the part (of the President’s statement) which the whole Cypriot society heard, and which has been transmitted in the news bulletins of all TV stations, radio news reports and in the headlines of many newspapers.

Mr. Anastasiades was very specific. He said “How can the zeros comment on those who have excelled?”. The whole of Cypriot society heard it.

When he realized he wasn’t convincing the people of what he had said, he tried to separate the leadership of AKEL from the people of the Party. Trying to intervene in the internal affairs of the Party, he made matters a lot worse than they were.

I leave him to the judgment not only of the members and people of AKEL, but of the whole Cypriot people.

The government ruling forces must understand that the reason why their own voters are turning their backs on them is not because AKEL is criticizing them. Nor can they address the problems they have with their voters by denigrating, cursing and nullifying AKEL, whilst also insulting the intelligence of the whole of the Cypriot people.