THERE WAS a measured reaction from Cyprus yesterday after the re-election of Conservative Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Sunday.
Karamanlis is set to form a new government tasked with implementing promised reforms, after winning a second term on Sunday with a reduced parliamentary majority.
With nearly all votes counted yesterday, the conservative New Democracy Party holds 152 seats in the 300-member parliament – a net loss of 13 from 2004.
In its worst showing in three decades, the opposition socialist PASOK party led by George Papandreou won 102 seats, down from 117 three years ago.
The communist KKE emerged with 22 seats, while the radical Left Coalition won 14. Ultranationalist newcomer LAOS holds 10 seats.
Commenting on the elections yesterday, most politicians in Cyprus agreed that the “big loser” was PASOK, despite New Democracy’s reduced majority.
DISY party spokesman Tassos Mitsopoulos noted the entry of LAOS, founded and led by controversial journalist Georgios Karatzaferis.
Karatzaferis formed LAOS in 2000, after he was expelled from New Democracy.
“The sensational element of the election was not the losses of New Democracy but the important losses that were recorded by the opposition,” said Mitsopoulos.
“It is the first time that we have seen the opposition party take such a beating… Also important is the entry of three seemingly smaller parties and for the first time, in many years, to the right of New Democracy appears another party, belonging to Mr Karatzaferis.”
Speaking about any possible effects the election would have on the Cyprus problem, he said: “With regards to the two big parties, I cannot see any major changes in policy with relation to the Cyprus problem, even if PASOK sees a change in leadership. The policies of New Democracy are known to all.”
Focusing on PASOK’s heavy defeat, EDEK Spokesman Demetris Papadakis stated that Papandreou’s party had started the campaign with the best intentions but in the end just couldn’t deliver.
“For the first time, we saw losses for the two big parties. The difference for PASOK was that their losses were worse.”
He also noted the backdrop in which the elections took place and especially the recent fires that threw the country into national mourning as well as his optimism that the Cyprus problem would remain a top priority for the Greek people.
“Let us not forget that it couldn’t have been worse time for an election what with the fires and the scandals concerning the inadequate spending of state funds.
“We hope that with regards to the Cyprus problem, the issue will be looked into under the same prism and that the policies towards Cyprus will not be changed, especially for the two bigger parties.”
Papadakis said the Cyprus issue may not be on the cards in the next few months, especially for PASOK as looked to reshuffle the party in the wake of the defeat.
DIKO leader Marios Karoyian welcomed the result: “We are positive that the excellent relationship and co-operation between the governments of Greece and Cyprus will not be altered by the results of the elections with regards to a viable solution to the Cyprus problem and other matters of national interest,” he said.
European Party deputy Rikkos Erotokritou told a news conference he hoped that the excellent relationship between Greece and Cyprus would continue.
“We praise the vote of the Greek people because it is a vote that will lead to positive results for domestic matters and especially matters of national interests that include the Cyprus problem,” he said.
