Diko rules out alliance with either Disy or Akel

FOLLOWING a meeting of its executive bureau, Diko on Thursday ruled out an alliance with either ruling Disy or Akel for the 2018 presidential elections.

But it was less clear whether the party would make the move to lead a coalition of parties seen as hawkish on the Cyprus issue.

In a statement issued later, Diko called for a new strategy on the Cyprus problem, criticizing President Anastasiades as well as Disy and Akel for their failed policies.

It went on to say that, having taken the pulse of Greek Cypriots, it is convinced a majority desire “a new policy and a new strategy on the Cyprus problem.”

The party pledged also to hammer out a new plan to revitalise a sluggish economy, and to focus on actions that would improve social cohesion.

Citing sources apprised of the goings-on at the executive bureau, Sigma reported that the Diko leadership decided the way ahead should be to continue talks with the other parties of the so-called ‘centre’.

For now, the party would refrain from putting forward the name of Diko leader Nicolas Papadopoulos as a candidate for leading such an alliance.

“The name of the candidate will emerge from the dialogue,” Papadopoulos was quoted as having told party cadres.

Talks aimed at nominating a single presidential candidate among the ‘centre’ parties did not get off to the best start this week after hopefuls Papadopoulos and Citizens’ Alliance chief Yiorgos Lillikas failed to find common ground.

Last week Lillikas sought to take the initiative, unofficially announcing his bid for the presidency, despite earlier consensus that the self-proclaimed ‘centre parties’ – Diko, Edek, the Citizens’ Alliance, the Solidarity Movement and the Greens – would rally behind a single candidate agreed jointly.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.