LOCAL affairs, mainly surrounding the National Council, the delay in implementing National Health Scheme (NHS), and the economy were the main issues raised by political parties in the barrage of their announcements and public appearances on Friday.
“Finally, now, after three months, we know, and the people know why she left DISY,” the ruling party said in a brief announcement after the head of the newly-established Solidarity Movement Eleni Theocharous declared on Thursday that she aims to run for president in 2018.
While DISY was sorting out its issues with former members, the other parties debated what they believe is wrong with the working of the National Council, the president’s advisory body comprising of all parties with a parliamentary presence.
EDEK’s Marinos Sizopoulos said that he finds the Council “downgraded to a dangerous degree” and said that he would continue to inform the Cypriot people whenever he feels he has to, having been criticised for leaking confidential minutes of previous sessions.
He said that he never made public classified information. “We are very serious to know what we can utilise and what not”.
The Green Party-Citizens Cooperation said that they disagree with the changes President Nicos Anastasiades aims to introduce as regards the National Council, “especially if he attempts to implement them without the parties’ consent”.
The government’s positive numbers on the economy and its proposed 2017-2019 fiscal policy got the opposition parties going.
DIKO’s Marinos Mousiouttas said that he was not convinced by the government’s statements on unemployment.
“Unemployment did not decrease. Immigration increased,” he said. He added that the government does not have a plan to deal with these issues, and duly presented his own party’s proposals.
Sizopoulos said that despite the government’s positive announcement on the economy, unemployment remains high. “It is provocative,” he said, for state officials to “delude themselves about their feats” when there are still people that lack even the bare necessities to survive.
“By repeating the numbers, the citizen does not fill his plate,” the Green Party-Citizens Cooperation said.
Media reports that there may be yet another postponement of the tender bid to purchase the software necessary to operate the much-delayed NHS, was another issue the parties discussed.
AKEL spokesman Giorgos Loukaides said that this is “another nail on the NHS’ coffin”. He added that it takes political will to be able to proceed with “brave changes” in the health sector.
The head of the Citizens Alliance, George Lillikas, said that President Anastasiades is not convincing that he truly wants to push forth with the implementation of the NHS.
EDEK, which on Friday celebrated the 96th birthday of its founder Vasos Lyssarides, announced that it would not be represented at the annual football cup awards ceremony organised by the Cyprus Football Association. The reason cited was their dismay at CFA boss Costas Koutsokoumnis’ failure to provide “convincing explanations” as to why he agreed to wear a t-shirt bearing the Turkish flag in an event in Istanbul back in April.
Meanwhile, EDEK-affiliated workers’ union DEOK, announced that it will support the socialist party in the May 22 elections.
