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The processes in the ranks of AKEL for finding a candidate for the 2023 Presidential Elections are entering the final straight, after the collapse of efforts made in the previous period with the Democratic Party.
Specifically, in statements made during the visit of a party delegation to Paliometocho and Kokkinotrimithia, the General Secretary of AKEL, Stefanos Stefanou, speaking about the procedures that are being followed, explained that these are in two directions: "the contact with other parties and personalities as well as our procedures within the party that are ongoing."
He noted that they have" arranged some meetings with both personalities and parties, so that we can make use of the days left before Easter."
"Normally there will be a break during the Easter period and we will continue afterwards.[/B] We are now, I would say, in a final straight. We will go through this final straight as quickly as possible and hopefully we will have our decisions soon," he added.
Asked to comment on whether the contacts with personalities concern persons who have already expressed their intention to run for office, Mr. Stefanou replied. Stefanou pointed out that, according to press reports, his decision was the result of the fact that there are no developments in the Cyprus problem, and noted that "unfortunately, there have been no developments in the Cyprus problem for a very long time and this is the worrying thing."
[/B][BR][BR]Here is what the Secretary General of AKEL said:
You have meetings with people in communities. Are you starting or intensifying a contact with people on the part of AKEL in view of your decisions?
We continue the contact we have with people and communities, primarily on the issues that concern them. And if there is one thing that has long been at the forefront of people's anxiety and concern, it is the issues of accuracy. Precision is not a current phenomenon, nor is it a result of the war in Ukraine. It has intensified with the war in Ukraine, just as people's concerns have also intensified with regard to the consequences in Cyprus in connection with the war in Ukraine and the sanctions imposed on Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine.
We have put forward specific proposals for dealing with the issue of precision, sector by sector.
Let me remind you that we have already formulated specific proposals for tourism, which we have submitted to the responsible Deputy Minister. These proposals came out of specific meetings we had with tourism stakeholders in all provinces of Cyprus.
We have forwarded to the Parliament specific proposals for a law to strengthen the powers and the framework of the respective Minister to issue fuel caps, because the law on fuel caps is different from the law on caps on other goods.
On fuel, in our view, there is room to address, firstly, obscenity, secondly, the oligopoly that exists and thirdly, to control the profit margin.
We also have a proposal to address the issue of double taxation on fuel. Right now we have a tax among the various taxes that exist on fuel. We have excise duty and VAT on excise duty. This is double taxation and in our view it should be addressed.
Today we are in Paliometocho and then we will go to Kokkinotrimithia as a continuation of the contacts that we have started for a very long time with communities and towns since last September.
Have you determined your next steps in relation to the presidential processes? Have meetings with other opposition parties been set after the wreck with DIKO?
We are continuing our procedures in two directions. The contact with other parties and personalities as well as our procedures within the party that are ongoing.
Some meetings have been arranged with both personalities and parties, so that we can make use of the days left before Easter. Normally there will be a break during the Easter period and we will resume afterwards. We are now, I would say, in a final straight line. We will go through this final straight in the fastest possible way and hopefully we will have our decisions soon. Stefanou?
And with personalities who do express interest or with personalities who play a role, they have a say and we would like to have contact with them as we have always sought such contact.
Regarding the reports about Mr. Mavroyiannis' resignation. The information says that it has already been accepted by the President of the Republic.
The resignation of Mr. Mavroyiannis, which is headline news today, comes, according to media reports, from the fact that there are no developments on the Cyprus issue. Unfortunately, there have been no developments on the Cyprus problem for a very long time and that is the worrying thing. We had noted and, unfortunately, we are being verified, but I underline the word unfortunately because it is to the detriment of our country and the prospect of reaching a solution and reunification of the country and its people. What we would like to note is that we should reflect on taking concrete initiatives to help create momentum for the resumption of negotiations. We certainly need to prepare the ground and preparing the ground can be done with these specific initiatives on what needs to be done.
We have submitted a specific proposal to the President of the Republic and since the energy debate is coming back against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, we believe that we should collectively have this discussion. We should also be informed by the President because we have not been informed and what was negotiated in the visit that Mrs. Nuland had in the region, what is happening, what thoughts are there so that we can submit our own proposals and thoughts. What is certain is that we cannot settle for those who are settling because we have never settled - with this prolonged impasse.
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