DIKO’s former deputy leader Georgios Colocassides yesterday accused his party of political thuggery in dealing with dissenting voices.
Speaking at a news conference in Nicosia, Colocassides said he did not recognise his expulsion from DIKO, calling the move “irregular” and “shameful” and pointing the finger at party no.1 Marios Garoyian.
“But the main question is not whether a party leader has acted arbitrarily,” said Colocassides. “This kind of people will always be around. What truly saddens me is that so many others volunteered to co-sign this shame, because it is nothing short of an infamy.”
Colocassides, ejected from DIKO’s Executive Bureau earlier this week on the grounds of insubordination – he had opposed Garoyian’s nomination as House Speaker – challenged his detractors to cite the regulation in the party charter under which he was disbarred.
He further argued that he was not invited to the Executive Bureau session that voted to expel him, despite the fact that “until the moment of dismissal I was still deputy leader.” Colocassides said he had no doubt his expulsion was politically motivated, given his views on the Cyprus talks and the continuing partnership between DIKO and ruling AKEL, which he regards as an unholy alliance.
DIKO had sold out its principles for the sake of sharing in the spoils of power, he said. He referred in particular to a decision by DIKO’s Central Committee which gave President Christofias more leeway in his talks with the Turkish Cypriots, but on condition that Christofias would “correct his course” by withdrawing certain proposals, such as that for a rotating presidency.
Despite the fact Christofias did not oblige, said Colocassides, DIKO continues to support the President.
“Certainly this has something to do with Mr. Garoyian’s promise to (UN special adviser Alexander) Downer that he would ‘take care of’ the so-called rejectionists within the party,” Colocassides charged.
Moreover, during the recent election campaign the party leadership had sought to undermine certain DIKO candidates who shared his views.
“What is happening is that DIKO is being disarmed ahead of the coming national battle.”
In a perhaps futile bid to turn the tables on Garoyian, Colocassides suggested that the party leadership was responsible for losing 12,000 votes in the recent legislative elections. Garoyian’s only option, he said, was to call a party congress in order to elect a new leadership, “so that the party can find its soul again.”
