AKEL yesterday slammed President Tassos Papadopoulos for appealing to its voters during the speech announcing his candidacy for the presidential elections next year.
Nicos Katsourides, AKEL’s parliamentary spokesman, called Papadopoulos` move to boost his own support from members of the party as “unfortunate and unethical”.
AKEL broke with the Papadopoulos’ tripartite coalition two weeks ago to run its own leader Demetris Christofias as president.
Towards the end of his televised speech on Monday night, Papadopoulos, who was addressing the nation and the 76 per cent who followed his call to vote against the Annan plan in 2004, made particular mention of AKEL supporters, who helped elect him in 2003.
Flattering them, he touted how much had been achieved during the coalition term, and added: “the course does not stop here.”
Although he said he would not comment on the coalition spilt, Papadopoulos did say he was not the one that wanted to see its dissolution. Observers saw this as a sign that Papadopoulos was trying to create a wedge between the AKEL leadership and ordinary members.
He referred to the confidence that AKEL voters had shown him over the years.
“I am certain that we will see again other battles,” Papadopoulos said.
“I call on you to stay in the same fighting spirit that we began.”
Katsourides not only criticised the obvious cajoling of AKEL voters but also other comments made by Papadopoulos.
“First of all the voters of AKEL have a candidate and this is Demetris Christofias,” he said. “This candidacy is the one that will ensure new possibilities and open up new horizons for a fair solution and a fair society.”
And while he welcomed the President’s comments about a bizonal, bicommunal federation, Katsourides questioned how Papadopoulos would be able to maintain his stance when the three parties that support him, DIKO, socialist EDEK and the European Party (EVROKO), have different views on a Cyprus solution.
He also contradicted Papadopoulos’ statement that AKEL was responsible for the coalition split, saying the party’s calls for dialogue were blocked by the other partners.
Asked to comment yesterday, Government Spokesman Vassilis Palmas said Papadopoulos had been addressing the entire nation and that it was only natural to address AKEL voters in that context.
“It was a reasonable gesture to our fellow citizens who honoured the President with their own votes and who were part of the tripartite alliance,” said Palmas.
Opposition DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades also commented on the Papadopoulos address, calling it a “blast from the past”, in reference to Papadopoulos emotional speech on April 7, 2004, when he called on Greek Cypriots to reject the Annan plan.
Anastassiades said the only thing different this time was the marked omission of the “well known characterisations” of those who hold opposite views to the President.
“That was something, and we hope that this method will not be used or undertaken by those who support the President or from his new alliance,” said the DISY leader.
Anastassiades also commented on the absence of any vision for the future from the speech.
“From the beginning until the end of his declarations, the President was living in the past,” said Anastassiades
DISY’s presidential candidate Ioanis Kasoulides made a similar comment, saying Papadopoulos had shown neither vision nor any strategic solutions for the future.
