FORMER Foreign Minister George Lillikas yesterday announced his candidacy for next year’s presidential elections, inviting the four minority opposition parties to join him in his campaign for the executive.
Lillikas is the second to announce his presidential ambitions after opposition DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades made his intentions clear last month at a party conference.
The former minister said he has spoken with “thousands of citizens, of all ages and social background from the free areas of Famagusta to Paphos” in the last few months who expressed greater concern about the future of the country than partisan politics.
Lillikas said he put himself before the people as an “independent, non-partisan” candidate who will represent the ambitions of the people without making “behind the scenes commitments and exchanges”.
“I do not doubt the patriotism of any candidate or party. I disagree with policies and strategies. I disagree with the view that by satisfying Turkish demands we can achieve a fair, democratic and viable solution,” he said.
His candidacy “will follow with consistency, credibility and dignity the decision of Cypriot Hellenism, as expressed in the referendum on the Annan Plan on April 24, 2004”, he said, adding that the people have a right “to choose between the two schools of thought on the Cyprus problem”, in reference to the positions of the two main parties AKEL and DISY.
Highlighting his independence, he also sent a “message of cooperation” to minority opposition parties, DIKO, EDEK, EVROKO and the Greens, inviting them to join him in forming an election manifesto.
“Our common goals brought us together in the recent past…I am ready to continue the dialogue started,” he said.
Lillikas met with the minority parties before announcing his candidacy as well as with the Archbishop. Asked how the meeting went, he said he was “satisfied” with the result.
Possibly hinting at collaboration with the church, Lillikas listed today’s most pressing issues as being: the Cyprus problem, hydrocarbons exploitation, economic growth and job creation, and the modernisation and qualitative improvement of the island’s education.
On the Cyprus problem, Lillikas was clear, previous agreements need to be abandoned and the negotiations started from scratch.
“Satisfying Turkish demands does not lead to a solution but acts as a catalyst for the Turkification and complete control of the Cyprus Republic.
“We can and must free ourselves of all long-standing concessions and negotiate a solution from scratch,” he said.
Lillikas argued that the country needed to pursue a strategy aimed at “coercing Turkey to abandon its expansionist ambitions and intransigent stance” by creating a high political cost for the continued occupation of the island’s northern third.
Asked how, he said the focus should be on Turkey’s prospects for EU accession or even privileged partnership.
After Easter, Lillikas plans to hold meetings with the government and political leadership of Greece and start an official dialogue with the minority opposition parties.
The latter have agreed to formulate a common manifesto based on which they will decide whether to field a common candidate in the elections or not. Reports and rumours have floated numerous potential candidates, including House President Yiannakis Omirou and Mari investigator Polys Polyviou.
Ruling AKEL said it would decide its position for next February’s elections this June.
