POLITICAL warhorse Vassos Lyssarides was yesterday in a philosophical mood, reflecting on a long career in public life spanning almost five decades.
But he dismissed the notion of a has-been sitting on the curb and watching the parade pass him by, telling the Mail he would “observe and comment from the sidelines whenever necessary”.
On Thursday he presided over the Plenum’s last session before the legislative elections and the change of guard in parliament. It was a tribute from his fellow politicians – friends and foes.
“The atmosphere was very emotionally charged,” Lyssarides said yesterday of his final appearance in the House.
“I am very grateful to all party leaders for their words of praise. It was a fitting farewell.”
“Also, it dawned on me that I’m older than the Republic itself,” he joked.
Lyssarides, 85, who was the personal physician to Archbishop Makarios, officially founded EDEK as a political party in 1969, although it had existed as a socialist movement since Independence in 1960.
He also served as House President from 1985 to 1991 after first being elected as a deputy in 1960.
He resigned as EDEK party leader in July 2001 after being elected a deputy in the last parliamentary elections in May of that year. He was replaced by Yiannakis Omirou, the current party leader.
Lyssarides retained his Nicosia seat in the House and was also given the title of honorary EDEK chairman by the party.
He was once quoted as saying: “The party and socialism are the only children I ever had.”
Loved by admirers and reviled by detractors, the deep-voiced Lyssarides was known for his eloquence and fiery speeches on the Cyprus problem. He was especially critical of the role played by Britain and the United States in the events of 1974.
His trademark catchphrase became “the intertwined interests” – an allusion to his theory that different power blocs had their own agenda for the island, and that Cyprus should play one off the other.
The veteran politician plans to write a book about his experiences, though yesterday he insisted it would not be an autobiography.
But he couldn’t say when the book would be out.
“That’s a tough one [question]… You see, I’m not the most organised of persons,” he offered.
Asked to sum up his parliamentary career, Lyssarides told the Mail he had “all kinds of memories – both pleasant and depressing.”
“One thing I recall with fondness is the early 1960s, before the troubles, when Greek and Turkish Cypriots happily coexisted in the House.
“Sometimes we used to work late into the night, and we’d order takeout. Then we’d all sit together and drink and eat and crack jokes. Those were good times,” he reminisced.
