DISY to abstain from voting for new House President

RIGHT-wing DISY will abstain from voting in the election for new House President today because the party does not want to back DIKO leader, and favourite Marios Karoyan for the post.

The House presidency was held by Demetris Christofias who was elected President last month, and his former post is said to have been offered to Karoyan as part of its election pact with Christofias` party AKEL.

DISY’s central committee decided last night that it would not back Karoyan, neither would the party vote against him.

It would not field its own candidate for House President either, DISY spokesman Tassos Mitsopoulos said after the decision was taken last night.

“The first decision was that DISY would not claim the presidency of the House with its own candidate, the party leader,” said Mitsopoulos.

“The second decision was that the party would not vote against the candidacy of Marios Karoyan and the third was that the party would abstain from voting, and present to the body of parliament its reasons in detail.”

Reports say DISY does not want to ‘reward’ the AKEL-DIKO government re-alliance.

Karoyan’s candidacy is backed by AKEL, DIKO and the European Party and last night EDEK also threw its weight behind the DIKO leader although initially the socialist party wanted its own leader Yiannakis Omirou to have the post.

EDEK spokesman Demetris Papadakis said last night the party had decided to support Karoyan and would not be running Omirou. Papadakis said a vote had not been needed because there had been a general consensus in support of the DIKO leader.

The candidate for House President must secure 50 per cent plus one vote from the 56-seat parliament. Today’s session will be chaired by DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades as senior deputy in the absence of Christos Pourgourdies.

 

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