Influence groups gather to guide voters ahead of Sunday’s run-off
THE CHURCH joined a number of parties, groups, movements, football associations and individuals yesterday in announcing support for one of the two presidential candidates in this Sunday’s election run-off.
Following the removal of former ally President Tassos Papadopoulos from the election race, Archbishop Chrysostomos turned his support to DISY’s Ioannis Kasoulides.
Putting the division of state and church aside, the religious leader called on his flock to vote Kasoulides.
“We have already agreed the framework within which we will move on education and without reservation, as the Church we advise our people to vote en masse for Mr Kasoulides and we are sure of the cooperation we will have in the new five-year term,” said the archbishop.
The church leader discussed his main concerns with the right-wing candidate, the Cyprus problem and education, before giving his ominous outlook on the fate of future generations.
“(Kasoulides) agrees with the wishes of the church to have a say in education issues because if we lose our children who represent the hope of the future of this place, then nothing can save us,” he said.
The other presidential hopeful Demetris Christofias said he was saddened by the church’s decision to take sides. The AKEL candidate said he expected the archbishop to stick to announcements of “love and unity and that’s it”.
He accused DISY of taking the political climate back decades by spreading rumours that the AKEL leader would end religious education in schools if elected, something which he categorically denied.
On the heels of DIKO’s late night decision to back Christofias on Tuesday, Papadopoulos campaign manager Georgios Lillikas also announced his support for the communist leader yesterday.
The former AKEL member said he was happy that a tripartite alliance between AKEL, DIKO and EDEK could rule the country again. Lillikas insisted he had not changed his colours, since he had always said Christofias would be his second choice if Papadopoulos was ousted. Relations between Lillikas and his former party cooled last August when the former foreign minister announced his support for Papadopoulos over his own party candidate.
Meanwhile, EDEK last night announced its decision to back Christofias following a lengthy
The United Democrats officially backed Christofias for the second round yesterday as did Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis. Socialist party EDEK’s central committee met last night to endorse the backing of Christofias, while European Party (Evroko) also convened to decide which way they would go.
EDEK leader Yiannakis Omirou officially announced his party’s decision to back the AKEL candidate, after the vast majority of the central committee voted in favour for Christofias.
Omirou said the socialist party’s decision was based mainly on the Cyprus problem and more specifically, the candidates’ stance during the 2004 Annan Referendum.
EVROKO president Demetris Syllouris was less forthcoming in his support for both candidates, urging his party members to vote “neither for Mr Christofias nor for Mr Kasoulides”. Asked whether this meant he was calling on EVROKO supporters to cast blank votes, Syllouris said: “Everyone can interpret this how they wish.”
The remaining fringe parties, the Greens and ADIK, will meet today to decide how to guide their members on Sunday.
Former presidential candidate Costas Themistocleous who garnered 753 votes last Sunday, threw his weight for what it’s worth behind the DISY front man.
“We have never excused Mr Christofias of his responsibility with regard to the impasse, lack of action and negative developments,” he said referring to the Cyprus problem.
Asked whether Papadopoulos had any say in the final decision of DIKO to back Christofias, the former agriculture minister said: “If anyone doubts this, they don’t live in Cyprus.”
Former Nicosia Mayor and business man Michalakis Zampelas also announced his support to Kasoulides, as did political maverick Prodromos Prodromou.
The first leak from DIKO following the hotly debated decision to back left-wing candidate Christofias came in the form of legal advisor to the DIKO President, Yiannakis Ioannou who gave the nod to Kasoulides instead.
“It is my personal decision and I think it is the decision of many DIKO officials. I want to clarify that we have been soldiers of DIKO for many years and as such we will support the candidacy of Mr Kasoulides,” said Ioannou.
DIKO’s Maronite supporters also expressed defiance against following the party line.
“I am sorry that some have not realized their choices are in direct conflict with the views and principles of DIKO’s party base,” said Michalis Kiteos, head of the Nicosia DIKO Maronites.
However, DIKO hit back at the so-called defectors, claiming in a later announcement that no such organization existed within the DIKO ranks.
More subterfuge was in the works for DIKO yesterday after DIKO official Andreas Constantinou had to state publicly he was not behind a text message doing the rounds which called on the party faithful to ignore DIKO’s decision to vote for Christofias.
Instead he called on party members to ignore these provocations and follow the party line.
