IN THE past few weeks, I have many times heard Yiannakis Matsis on radio and television shows uttering the phrase “we who founded the Democratic Rally (DISY)”. At first I took it as a joke. I know, having met him during my 12-year stint as member of the party, that he has an inclination to being economical with the truth.
In reality he is an amusing storyteller. Even when not necessary, he twists things because he loves to impress. I think he is under the illusion that in this way he draws the admiration and sympathy of his listener. But he speaks with such genuineness, that it makes it difficult for those who do not know him to realise the truth.
I have also heard DISY supporters, apparently convinced by what he says, describe him as a founding member of the party.
I finally decided that the issue was no longer funny. Matsis is a candidate in the Euro elections. It is important for citizens to know that one of the candidates is not being entirely truthful. It is something, which surely shows his character.
I lived through the first years of DISY’s existence more intensely than most other people. I know the details of the inception of the idea to found and organise the party, the people who were at the forefront, how Glafcos Clerides was convinced to stay in Cyprus at the time and lead the party.
For a long time, I spent my time at the party’s offices and knew everyone coming and going. I am ready to swear on the Holy Bible that Yiannakis Matsis had absolutely no relation with the founding of DISY. The truth is he was invited and many attempts were made by many people to convince him to participate. He stubbornly refused. Dozens of other people visited his home, urging him to join the party but he remained unyielding.
The reason was a common secret to all of us: he feared Archbishop Makarios. It was impossible for Matsis to participate in a party which was founded to resist Makarios’ policy, the policy of the “long term struggle”.
He told one friend that he wanted the archbishop’s view before he decided and another that he could not join the party because Makarios had offered him the interior ministry.
Matsis set foot in DISY for the first time in October 1977, one-and-a-half years after the party’s foundation.
Spyros Kyprianou’s parliamentary seat became vacant, after he became president following Makarios’ death on August 3, 1977.
Matsis was invited to stand as the party’s candidate against George Ladas, who was supported by DIKO and AKEL. Again he refused. I remember that after his first refusal, we were jokingly telling Clerides: Let’s wait for 40 days to pass since Makarios’ death first, because Matsis is afraid he could rise from the dead and see him joining DISY.
Finally, and after 40 days had gone by after Makarios’ death, Matsis accepted.
Under the circumstances he received a respectful 37 per cent of the vote.
This is the truth about Matsis’ participation in DISY. It is saddening that a politician who wants to represent us in the European Union resorts is so shameless in his deception of the uninformed citizens. And it is the public’s obligation to take his behaviour into consideration because it would surely continue in the European Parliament, if he gets in, humiliating Cyprus like his friend President Tassos Papadopoulos.
