Disy chooses candidate for Famagusta mayor

Disy decided on Friday that their candidate for Famagusta mayor would be Ambassador Pavlos Anastasiades, a statement from the party said, while main opposition Akel looked set to support Diko pick Simos Ioannou.

In their announcement the ruling party said they had picked someone from among the list of potential candidates put forward by both Akel and Diko as they did not agree on anyone from within their own ranks.

The party said: “Our goal through this process is to send a clear message domestically and abroad that above all else is the reunification of the country and the return of Famagusta through a candidate commonly accepted and who shares these goals.”

Anastasiades was born in Famagusta in 1953.  In 1991 he joined the diplomatic service and in 1993 he was appointed Second Secretary at the Cyprus embassy in Washington. In 1997 he was transferred to the embassy in Stockholm where he was promoted to Second Counsellor in 1999, and First Counsellor in 2001.

In 2002 he moved back to the foreign ministry in Cyprus, to the EU division and was promoted a year later to Director of the Foreign Minister’s Office. In 2005, he began serving as Cyprus’ ambassador to Sweden until 2010 when he became Cyprus’ ambassador to the US.

Meanwhile, the local Akel faction was set to meet on Friday night to decide on their candidate, reports said, citing that the party was likely to decide on Simos Ioannou, who was selected by Diko last week.

Also, architect Andreas Lordos announced on Saturday he was running for Famagusta mayor as an independent candidate promising to fight for a return to the town.

Lordos, who also ran in the 2016 municipal elections for Famagusta and came in third, said in an announcement that he was running as an independent for the dignity of Famagusta refugees and those who died. Elections for mayor will be held on August 25.

The town will be choosing a mayor following the sudden death recently of Alexis Galanos. Galanos, who also served as President of the House of Representatives, was serving his third term as mayor after being re-elected in 2016.

 

 

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