THE day after the election for the House presidency found DIKO reeling from the actions of rebel MP Zacharias Koulias not to support his party’s leader and instead give the deciding vote to EDEK chairman Yiannakis Omirou who won the second highest post in the Republic.
Omirou, with Koulias’ vote, won Thursday’s contest 28 to 27, beating DIKO leader Marios Garoyian who had the backing of ruling AKEL.
Hardliner Koulias said he did not vote for Garoyian because that would have been an endorsement of his party’s alliance with AKEL, which he opposes.
He said for three years Garoyian had tolerated the concessions made by President Demetris Christofias in the reunification talks and “I was in no mood to act as the guardian of Mr. Christofias’ concessions.”
Koulias was summarily expelled from his party’s parliamentary team and found himself on the receiving end of broadsides fired by bitter colleagues who used epithets such as Judas – the disciple believed to have betrayed Christ – traitor and apostate.
Perhaps the most vocal was Athena Kyriakidou, who was still outraged yesterday when speaking on morning radio show.
“It was an apostasy, a treason against the Democratic Party,” Kyriakidou told private 107.6 FM. The Limassol MP made it clear that she wanted Koulias out.
“An MP who stabbed his party on the back has no place on his party’s bench. He has no place in DIKO … he ought to return his seat today.” Kyriakidou said.
“Judas received 30 pieces of silver (to betray Christ). I don’t know what Zacharias Koulias’ 30 pieces of silver are.”
Outspoken Koulias hit back later saying Kyriakidou should think before she speaks.
“Garoyian and Christ are not the same. I think she has a problem with her religious matters,” Koulias said.
He went on to accuse Kyriakidou and fellow DIKO MP Angelos Votsis – who was also very critical of Koulias – of acting as moles for AKEL.
The renegade MP urged Garoyian to resign his post as leader of DIKO.
“It is a good service to DIKO and the country,” he said.
Koulias said he will defend the same line former presidents Tassos Papadopoulos, archbishop Makarios and Spyros Kyprianou, defended and “no one can stop me.”
“Someone told me to hand over the flag,” he said. “I will keep the flag and they can have the pole.”
AKEL, which saw its candidate lose to a candidate backed by the opposition, yesterday spoke of conspiracy spearheaded by the Church.
The development could affect its government coalition with DIKO and potential alliances ahead of the 2013 presidential elections.
“Apostasy is not a political expression that came out of nowhere,” party leader Andros Kyprianou said. “There were plans, collaborations …conspiracies.”
“Do you believe the Archbishop met Mr. Koulias and others just to have a friendly chat?” Kyprianou said, referring to a meeting before Thursday’s vote.
The AKEL leader said there have been reports for months about some people meeting frequently in a bid to create a specific political formation.
