Fragile coalition holds – for now

THE fragile government coalition appears to be holding for the time being after alliance party leaders yesterday met with President Demetris Christofias to discuss ways of improving cooperation.
The leaders agreed to have more frequent meetings in a bid to improve the coordination between the coalition parties.
“The President expressed his views regarding how he sees the cooperation between coalition parties becoming more efficient,” DIKO chief Marios Garoyian said after the meeting.
Garoyian said Christofias had assured him of his determination for better cooperation between the parties which form the ruling alliance.
“I suggested some ideas on how we see this cooperation progress and which political conditions should exist so that the cooperation can be more effective,” Garoyian said. “I hope that this meeting, as well as some others that will take place in the next few days will be of substance.”
Christofias met Garoyian before meeting his other government partner EDEK chairman Yiannakis Omirou.
Both parties have fundamental disagreements with the way Christofias has been handling the talks to resolve the Cyprus problem, frequently criticising the president.
Commentators have suggested that it is a matter of time before DIKO and EDEK leave the government.
It has been suggested that the intensification of the talks in January could spell the end of the coalition.
Omirou yesterday said his party has not taken a decision to leave the coalition, responding to reports suggesting otherwise.
“No, there has not been such a decision,” Omirou told reporters after meeting Christofias.
Omirou said they discussed all developments, both concerning the Cyprus problem and domestic administration issues.
He said he raised anew to the president EDEK’s concerns regarding the rotating presidency and the Turkish settlers in case of a solution.
Omirou said EDEK was watching the developments and in case there was a course of no return towards a bad solution then it would take its decisions.
Christofias and Omirou also discussed the issue of the information campaign the government plans to launch regarding the proposed solution.
The leaders were given the text concerning the bicommunal federation and were asked for their comments.
Earlier yesterday Christofias met with AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou who expressed his desire for the cooperation between the parties to continue.
“We have the political will and desire for this cooperation to continue and be set on the proper basis,” Kyprianou said afterwards. “The basis exists, what we say that may be needed is better coordination,” Kyprianou said.
Today Christofias will meet opposition leader Nicos Anastassiades.

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.