AKEL presidential candidate Demetris Christofias lost a spot of political capital when he refused to answer a journalist’s question on the grounds that he was the next president of the Cyprus Republic.
Christofias lost his temper several times with journalists on Mega television on Thursday when they poked and prodded him on his and his party’s past negative attitudes to the EU.
Asked whether the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, signed by President Papadopoulos last year, would soon be ratified by Parliament, Christofias exploded, and refused to answer, saying it was an issue for the party and not for him, although he remains AKEL leader and House President until and unless elected president.
“You are asking the next president of the Cyprus Republic,” Christofias said again and again to the Mega journalist. “Ask [AKEL parliamentary spokesman] Mr [Nicos] Katsourides.
Referring to himself in the third person, Christofias continued: “The next president of the Cyprus Republic, Demetris Christofias, will honour the signature of President Tassos Papadopoulos. Full stop.”
When the journalist again tried to interject, Christofias waved his hand and repeated: “Full stop.”
“So this means AKEL will vote for the Lisbon Agreement?” asked the journalist. “AKEL didn’t discuss it yet,” Christofias responded.
Christofias’ rivals were quick to jump on the “next president” comment.
DISY spokesman Tassos Mitsopoulos said the communist AKEL candidate’s arrogance had been “revealed in all its glory”.
“The general-secretary of AKEL showed his true self, the self that he has tried to hide all this time,” said Mitsopoulos.
“For months, he has tried to hide the Europhobia and lack of faith in the open market economy, and his inflexible ideology. This is the difference between Ioannis Kasoulides and Mr Christofias. Mr Kasoulides looks ahead, while the views of Mr Christofias belong in a world that has collapsed.”
The tiny political party the Free Citizens also attacked Christofias in a written statement.
“When two days before the elections he refused to answer the question of a journalist by saying he is the next president of the Republic, ‘full stop’, everyone can see how he would behave if he indeed were the president of the Republic,” the statement said.
“All that’s left for Christofias to do now is to cancel the elections and declare himself president,” it added.
n You can view a clip from Mega’s Christofias interview on http://www.youtube.com/madrou
