in-cyprus 10 September 2023 - by Constantinos Tsintas
President Christodoulides is not about to form a party, launch a political platform or create a movement around the people that forged his candidacy, making clear that he was elected as an independent candidate and as such, will honour the commitments he has taken on as the leader of the country.
Having said that however, in the 2nd instalment of his interview to Phileleftheros, Christodoulides, now seven months into his term and established in policies, does cast an eye, or perhaps one should say ‘intense glare’, towards opposition-or rather ‘creative’ opposition DISY, saying that his Democratic Rally roots were never a secret.
‘I am ready on my part and reiterate that I would like to cooperate with DISY, if the party rules that such a synergy will be to the interest of the country’.
‘My administration positions are very close to DISY lines’, he added, and this while never undermining or downgrading the parties that supported his candidacy nor their importance in the government and the role they will continue to play.
On the home front, he expressed pride but also responsibility on the great expectations that the people of Cyprus place upon him, certain that he will respond in full.
‘We have a five year plan’, he noted.
– There were high expectations by the people who voted for you. Do you believe you have responded?
–I do agree that society had high expectations of me, I am honoured and I never forget it, not for a minute. My election was a social expression of the need for something new that will bring about hope and prospects to all, exchausted by one crisis after the other, financial woes, energy prices, health scares, which essentially hit hard on the middle class, the backbone of Cyprus.
I am certain that we will successfully respond to such expectations, as citizens are now at the forefront of our policies. We have a five year plan to implement.
We have already solved a number of issues that required immediate attention, such as COLA, the four month pupil exams, the Akama measures and a number of other pressing problems. Our first budget will reflect our priorities, based on which society chose us to lead the country. It will be a surplus budget with a social dimension.
– You do pay attention to communication. Do you believe that comments in the social media reflect a social image of what you’re doing?
-We don’t enjoy a party mechanism to support us on a daily basis on all our decisions. I was an independent candidate and this is the first government that has come into power without the support of one of the two largest parties. As to the parties that walked beside me all the way to election, and I really appreciate that, they have never relinquished their own autonomy and don’t blindly support all government decisions. There is no given support.
I have been critisised for attending too many events, responding to people’s invitations across Cyprus. I will continue to do that, because I want to maintain my connection to society, to the citizens of this country. During these events I hear their concerns, worries, expectations and this is the essence of it all. I am liable to society and I will not stop communicating with them.
– Do you feel the need to launch your own political platform?
– No, I made that clear during the election campaign and it still holds. To me, the best recipe is people to people contact and I will continue on this course, as they are the ones I am responsible to. I have asked my ministers to do the same.
– Do you maintain a connection with DISY;
–Of course I do, both with members, and obviously the President of the Party. Institutionally we have an excellent relationship, but this does not mean that DISY agrees with everything that the government is doing. Having said that, I believe that on numerous issues that we manage daily, we share similar approaches with the Democratic Rally. We have not discussed any sort of DISY government participation, but there are members of my administration with a DISY background.
