Lillikas yet to reveal his hand

WITH THE holiday period over, attention has turned once again to former Foreign Minister George Lillikas and His alliances ahead of next year’s presidential elections.

Lillikas said last month he would announce after the holiday period whether he would lend his support to incumbent President Tassos Papadopoulos or AKEL candidate Demetris Christofias.

Lillikas resigned along with three other AKEL Ministers in July when the communist party decided to break the tri-partite alliance with the Papadopoulos government in order to field its own candidate.

Unlike his former ministerial colleagues, Lillikas is not as deep-rooted in the party. He technically belongs to AKEL’s “New Forces” faction, but in recent years has also forged strong personal links with Papadopoulos.

Speculation has been rife that he might decide to head up Papadopoulos’ election campaign and part company with AKEL for good.

Yesterday AKEL spokesman Andros Kyprianou was asked whether Lillikas had told the party what he had decided.

He said he did not know what the former Foreign Minister was thinking.

“AKEL is forging ahead irrespective of Mr Lillikas’ decisions,” Kyprianou said, adding there had not been any consultation between Lilliaks and Christofias.

“I don’t want to play the seer so we will see how things develop.”

Lillikas had a meeting with Christofias in the middle of July, just after the resignation of the four AKEL Ministers but had not made his mind up at the time and that he would announce his position after the summer holidays.

Lillikas was quite outspoken about his view that breaking up the government coalition had been a mistake and that he had wanted explanations from Christofias.

Government spokesman Vassilis Palmas said he also did not have any idea what Lillikas would decide.

“This is a subject that concerns Mr Lillikas alone,” Palmas said. “It is not a matter for the government.”

Palmas also said he did not know of any meetings held or to be held between Papadopoulos and Lillikas.

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