Vassiliou: Euro-elections a huge challenge for Cyprus

THE United Democrats said yesterday the2004 Euro-elections would be a huge challenge to Cyprus’ electoral system.

“The 2004 Euro-elections with the contribution of the Turkish Cypriots’ vote, as well as that of Greek Cypriots living in other countries in Europe, is an important challenge for the update of our election system and the process of voting,” UD deputy Androulla Vassiliou told a news conference yesterday.

Vassiliou outlined suggestions from her party that included the abolition of voting books to be replaced by simple ID cards and the introduction of voluntary voting and postal votes. She also stressed that Cyprus had to ensure it had the legal framework ready in time for next June’s elections.

Vassiliou said that if Turkish Cypriots wanted to vote in the Euro-elections, then provisions must be made for them to exercise their democratic right, through special polling stations and postal votes. She said that these matters would be discussed at the National Council when President Tassos Papadopoulos returned from Greece.

Vassiliou claimed there was an urgent need for the legal framework to be agreed in order for Turkish Cypriots to be able to vote. “If a solution is reached four months after the Euro-elections then for four years Cyprus will only be represented by Greek Cypriots,” said Vassiliou.
Asked about other parties’ opinions on the issue, Vassiliou said all the parties’ views would be discussed with the National Council.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.