A strong Akel is necessary to counter the conservative policies of Europe and the Cyprus government, the communist party’s leader Andros Kyprianou argued in an open letter on Tuesday, through which he sought to break from the ‘old’ party by offering himself as the standard-bearer of a new era.
In the text, entitled The Necessity of the Left today, Kyprianou sought to curb the devastating impact media coverage of court testimony by contractor Miltiades Neophytou over the last week has had on Akel.
Neophytou, who sued Christofias in civil courts for €22 million in payments he claims to have made on the former president’s behest, has testified that Christofias was involved in several politically disastrous affairs, including repeatedly orchestrating bank account overdraft extensions for Neophytou’s firm, taking 3 million Cyprus pounds as a campaign donation from Greek financier Andreas Vgenopoulos, and arranging for the zoning upgrade of a particular area to benefit Akel.
“Driven by the Miltiades Neophytou lawsuit against former president – and former Akel leader – Demetris Christofias, it is attempted to assert that the Left in Cyprus has gone morally bankrupt,” Kyprianou wrote. “That it is no different than other parties involved in scandals of corruption and graft. That it has foregone its social role.”
Expressing his dismay at the negative coverage the case has brought for the party, Kyprianou said he hoped that such extensive media coverage will continue “till the case’s conclusion” and “will not suddenly stop” when it’s time for defence witnesses to testify.
He then returned to his introduction, posing questions like ‘what has the Left offered Cyprus?’, ‘does it have a future?’, and ‘is it corrupt?’, which he goes on to attempt to answer in his essay.
His presentation of the party’s historical contributions to Cyprus – some universally accepted, others less so – touched repeatedly on several variations of the same theme: standing with the weak and fighting for fairness equality, and democracy.
“Has Akel stopped playing this role? Is it no longer necessary?” he then asked, before furnishing readers with his response.
“Far from it. The intense class politics promoted by the dominant circles in the European Union and the Anastasiades-Disy government makes a strong Left in Cyprus even more necessary. Under extremely difficult circumstances, Akel is the main force of resistance to the policies promoted by the neoliberal-conservative Anastasiades-Disy government. The force defending the interests of workers, farmers, the lower-middle class, migrants. The force fighting racism and xenophobia. The force fighting for a fair, functional and viable solution to the Cyprus problem.”
The letter then segued into what one suspects was the real reason it was written – to make the argument that the Left, in general, and Akel, in particular, is not inherently corrupt, and that its virtue is in its people.
“Over the last few years, with the active contribution of Akel, much stricter rules have been introduced with regard to the funding and scrutiny of parties,” he said.
“Legislation on the source of funds and conflicts of interest were promoted. There is now much greater transparency in all these issues.”
‘Is Akel and its officials corrupt?’ was the introduction to the final paragraph.
“I dare and welcome everyone to judge us individually, as well as jointly. As far as I, personally, am concerned, I repeat that I am open to anyone’s scrutiny. Both myself and my wife offer access to all of our accounts to anyone wishing to survey them.”
More than ever, the Left in Cyprus is today more necessary for the country and our people, Kyprianou wrote.
“I assure Akelites and all the friends of the Left that we will fight to prove that we can drive the country forward,” he said.
“That we will fight for more social justice. For transparency, honesty, and integrity in our political life.”
