BUSINESSMAN Christodoulos Neophytou yesterday announced he would be running for president in the forthcoming elections.
He accused the other candidates of failing to achieve a solution to the Cyprus problem and said the main reason he was standing for presidency was because the island was in great danger.
All candidates – including President Tassos Papadopoulos, DISY’s Ioannis Kasoulides, Demetris Christofias of AKEL and independent candidates Neophytou, Costas Themistocleous and Marios Matsakis – will officially register today.
According to the Registrar of Presidential Election, Demetris Demetriou, he is expecting around 11 or 12 candidates to apply.
Neophytou was born in 1950 in Famagusta and was third in a line of six children. His younger brother Mamas died during the 1974 invasion. He has two grown-up sons with his wife Chrysta.
Coming from a poor background, Neophytou arrived in London after his military service with £15 in his pocket and despite his financial difficulties, managed to obtain a BSc in Applied Economics.
He acquired many more specialities after university, including script writing, marketing, advertising, business administration, web design and hypno-psychoanalysis.
He became a refugee before finishing his studies so he remained in London, where he created his own small business.
He returned to Cyprus permanently in 2003, after specialising in hypno-psychoanalysis for five years in London.
“Why should you honour me with your vote?” he asks on his website (www.isokratiacy.com).
“For the country’s best interests and yours,” he responds. “Because I have no obligation to be influenced by political parties, party leaders and sponsors; because I am free to serve the country’s best interests.”
He added, “Because my programme is clever, revolutionary and pioneering; because I am not a career-orientated politician who will sell your vote for chairs and ranks; because I am one of you.”
Neophytou called on the public to support his candidacy, “because the other candidates did all they could. What they achieved is a regression in the national issue.”
