ARCHBISHOP Chrysostomos yesterday denied that he supported a nationalist group, but conceded he shared their views regarding illegal immigration.
The Church primate was responding to reports in yesterday’s Politis that President Demetris Chrstofias had raised the issue during a National Council meeting on Wednesday.
Politis said Christofias voiced his concern over the surge of nationalism in the government-controlled areas, fearing that it could affect efforts to solve the Cyprus problem.
The president mentioned the recent attack on the players of a Turkish basketball team, in Cyprus to play against APOEL, and numerous vandalisms on Turkish Cypriot vehicles.
Christofias noted the role played by nationalists ELAM and pointed at a recent interview in weekly newspaper Kathimerini where Chrysostomos said he shared a lot of ELAM’s views.
Yesterday, Chrysostomos denied supporting ELAM and reiterated that it was only their views on illegal immigration that he shared.
“I do not think the president thinks I finance ELAM,” Chrysostomos said at Larnaca airport before boarding a flight to Russia. “If he believes something like this, which I rule out, then it is sad.”
In his interview to Kathimerini late last year, Chrysostomos denied housing ELAM in a Church-owned building free of charge.
“This is a malicious lie; we do not host ELAM in a Church building. But if you will, I share a lot of ELAM’s views,” he said.
His utterance sparked criticism, prompting Chrysostomos to issue a written statement suggesting “some, in bad faith, misunderstood and misinterpreted” his statements, repeating that it was the view on illegal immigration he shared.
ELAM wants only the necessary foreign workers to be allowed to stay in Cyprus.
According to Politis, Christofias told the National Council on Wednesday that he believed the Archbishop’s real position was that in the interview and not the correction he made later.
The prelate reiterated his position on illegal immigration yesterday.
“It has to be understood by everyone that we are a small state and the population’s demographic composition can easily be overturned,” Chrysostomos said. “Certainly we will not throw these people in the sea, nor we will let them die of hunger; but I do not think the EU pressures us to pay this money (to asylum seekers) which encourages illegal immigrants to stay in Cyprus and more to come.”
He added: “I do not think it is a crime to agree with these lads (ELAM) that they (illegal foreigners) have to leave. This is what I said.”
Government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou declined comment on the matter.
He said the government’s position not to comment on publications regarding the discussion in the National Council is well known.
“The reason is simple; we want to have confidentiality in the National Council that will allow all members to express themselves freely and have a constructive dialogue,” Stefanou said.
