By Martin Hellicar
A PROPOSAL for the resignation of Diko leader Spyros Kyprianou has bee tabled before the party’s conference, leadership contender Kypros Chrysostomides said yesterday.
“There was a suggestion for Mr Kyprianou to withdraw from party activity and for Mr Tassos Papadopoulos to take over,” Chrysostomides said in a state radio interview, confirming widespread reports in yesterday’s papers.
Chrysostomides said this proposal enjoyed the support of many delegates at the weekend conference, but added that Papadopoulos — the centre-right party’s parliamentary spokesman — was saying it was up to Kyprianou to decide on the issue.
Kyprianou himself was unwilling to step down and wanted to stick around for long enough to appoint his own successor rather than being ousted in a leadership contest, Chrysostomides said.
Sixty-five-year-old Kyprianou has been Diko chief ever since he formed the party 20 years ago.
Chrysostomides’ statements appeared to confirm reports that the party was moving towards giving Papadopoulos a vice-president post with Kyprianou staying on as leader for another year, after which Papadopoulos would take over.
Chrysostomides said Kyprianou and Papadopoulos did not wish to stand against each other in a leadership election. He also confirmed that his own candidacy was still valid.
He said the party leadership was angling for a postponement of leadership elections, but counselled against this himself, saying elections would “rejuvenate” the party.
Diko has been in turmoil ever since the February presidential elections, when it was rocked by internal revolt after choosing to abandon a government coalition with President Clerides’s Disy party and join with left-wing Akel in backing George Iacovou. Iacovou lost the election to Clerides.
The party conference over the weekend aimed at reviewing the situation since the election defeat and deciding how to deal with rebels in the party ranks who had refused to back Iacovou.
The conference was far from serene, with speakers supporting the return of the rebels shouted down and Chrysostomides claiming he was punched by delegates opposed to his candidacy.
Party secretary general Stathis Kittis spoke against immediate leadership elections yesterday, saying the current leadership should have its remit renewed until September.
Alexis Galanos, a prominent Diko rebel who has since formed his own party, slammed the conference as a “sham”. He said the Diko leadership was trying to put off party elections and impose a “pre-determined result” on the party faithful.
Galanos said the solution to Diko’s ills would not be found within the party.
The Diko conference is set to continue this weekend.
