New party says young people should be involved in politics

The newly-registered political party I, the Citizen on Tuesday announced the start of its operations after the Interior Ministry issued its registration certificate.

In its inaugural press release, the party – colloquially referred to as “the Russian party” due to many of its founders and backers being Cyprus-based Russian businessmen – outlined its key goals, which it said include combating corruption and promoting a hi-tech culture that would respect multiculturalism, multi-ethnicity and religious freedom.

“The just solution of the Cyprus problem, based on United Nations resolutions, for a free and unified Cyprus that will be part of the European family,” was described as another of the party’s goals.

“Implementing a plan for a new electronic government while combating bureaucracy; preserving and restoring the unique Cypriot nature; economic growth and prosperity for every citizen; promoting the principles of social justice; and modern education for the youth.”

The party’s view, the press release said, is that young, able and educated people must be actively involved in the country’s political arena.

The application to register the new party was submitted in May.

It is led by Alexey Voloboev, a businessman and Cypriot citizen who has lived on the island for more than 15 years.

“The party will participate actively in the country’s political and social life,” it pledged.

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.