By Martin Hellicar
DIKO LEADER Spyros Kyprianou yesterday again refused to reveal the identity of his party’s ‘mystery’ candidate in next February’s presidential elections.
Despite most observers agreeing that Attorney-general Alecos Markides is the man, Kyprianou repeated that he could not say anything yet. “I’m not being petty – I have an agreement not to reveal the candidate’s name yet,” he told reporters.
Diko announced it had found a new candidate it said would garner support from all parties after failing to secure any support from other parties for Kyprianou’s own candidacy.
Markides has stoutly refused to comment on the speculation, but has nonetheless drawn criticism from the government, which has suggested he is “partly responsible” for rumours deemed to be “effecting” the institution of the attorney-general.
Governing Disy, for whom Markides was a deputy, have sped to quash suggestions that a Markides candidacy might attract some Disy members to abandon the Clerides re-election bandwagon. Party leader Nicos Anastassiades has warned would-be dissenters that they risk being ostracised from the party.
Meanwhile, other reports yesterday suggested that former Attorney-general Michalakis Triantafyllides was a possible alternative candidate for Diko, in the event that Markides proves unwilling. Triantafyllides said he had not been approached by any party wanting him to stand, but added that he would “seriously” consider such an offer if it came.
A clear favourite for the elections had yet to emerge yesterday, with no two major parties in agreement on a common candidate.
Communist Akel has been sweet-talking Diko of late, but Kyprianou’s party is unlikely to back Akel’s chosen candidate, former Foreign Minister George Iacovou. Socialist Edek is backing its own veteran leader, Dr Vassos Lyssarides, while the United Democrats are firmly behind their leader, former President George Vassiliou.
The other candidate in the running for the post is the leader of the minority Liberal party, Nicos Rolandis, who called a press conference yesterday to appeal for people to vote for him – even though he had no chance of getting into office.
Rolandis said a vote for him would not be wasted because it would give him more power to make his voice heard should the elections go to a second round.
Rolandis did not reveal who his chosen candidate would be in a second round of voting, saying that the election picture was not yet clear enough.
