The DIKO Central Committee almost unanimously endorsed the proposal of the Executive Bureau to support the candidacy of Nicos Christodoulides. Does this overwhelming percentage indicate that most of the members had already, to a large extent, made their choice and in fact the leadership had no other choice?
Nothing could be more untrue. Let me remind you that the processes for DIKO's options started months ago, we talked to all political parties except DISY, and various options have been explored. The conclusion of DIKO did not start and ended last Sunday at the Central Committee meeting. But it was the conclusion of a long course during which DIKO, rightly in my view, talked to various political forces and explored various options. So there were many options. The near unanimity in the Central Committee's conclusion to support the independent candidacy of Nikos Christodoulides stems from the fact that at every step of this long march, DIKO was in touch with its base and together we took decisions on the next steps.
Do you believe in Nikos Christodoulides? Do you believe that he has the skills, the will, the program to be an effective President of the Republic?
If we were not convinced of these, you can be sure that we would not decide to support him. Our assessment after our contacts with Mr. Nikos Christodoulides is that he has all the qualities required of a responsible and prudent President of the Republic who understands the nature of the office and his responsibility to the whole of society and not just to a limited partisan audience.
Don't you agree that it is an oxymoron to seek change by running a politician who served the outgoing government as a government spokesman and as a minister?
I am glad you are asking me this question because I am really put off by the notion that some people have that change in a place can only come with a "sky-high" candidate. So change is understood by some to mean that it can only be the property of someone inexperienced in politics? This is a warped notion that at least we do not embrace. The change the country needs is a change of style, a change of ethos, a change of priorities and perceptions. These qualities that the new President of the Republic must have are qualities that both an experienced and an inexperienced politician can possess. But let us not confuse inexperience as a synonym for change. If one thinks it is an oxymoron for a party to seek change with a candidate who has served as a government spokesman and as a minister then it is equally an oxymoron for a candidate who has been a party leader for twenty years and a candidate who has held various offices during the tenure of various Presidents to want change. We do not judge each candidate's ability by the nature of the offices he has held in the past but how he has behaved during his tenure in those offices.
How independent will Nikos Christodoulides be? DISY describes him as a DIKO candidate. Obviously, DIKO is not supporting him in blank, is it?
DISY's obsession with candidate characterization is unfortunately what monopolizes the political debate. Understandable, of course, because the entrenched notion of rallying requires it. And I really regret that DISY suggests that if Mr Christodoulides were actually a DIKO candidate, this would be a disadvantage. When we say that, among other things, we need a change of style and ethos, that is exactly what we mean. As much as DISY wants to impose this view, it will not succeed because the truth is simply different. Mr Christodoulides is an independent candidate in the sense that he is not bound by all party positions and principles, but only by the convergences as they have been recorded and which will be included in his programme. DIKO has chosen to support Mr Christodoulides after these convergences have been recorded. Mr Christodoulides did not impose his candidacy on DIKO as may be the case in other parties. From there on, the world will judge in the upcoming elections.
Issues of your party's participation in the government, in case of electoral success, have been clarified? Or is it something you will see later?
This issue has not even been discussed. It is indeed difficult, after decades of political dealings, for anyone to believe that a new approach is being attempted by a political party. But we believe that this is exactly what the country needs. In other words, the parties themselves need to change how they perceive their role.
What do you see as the biggest challenge that the new President, whoever he is, will have to deal with?
The new economic reality in which the world is entering after the war in Ukraine and which certainly affects Cyprus to a large extent and the increasing aggression of Turkey towards its neighbours who do not agree with the role of the country - hegemon in the region. If we look back to the previous presidential elections, I doubt that migration was the main concern of society. But today it is a priority. Five years ago energy sufficiency was not a concern. Today it is a priority. Five years ago digitisation was a slogan. Today it is a necessity. So the world is changing at a very fast pace and the adaptation of a country also depends on the speed with which it makes changes.
And what do you think is at stake in these presidential elections?
What is at stake in these elections is what course we will chart for our country and for this generation in the coming years. Whether we will leave behind our old bad selves and really work to change Cyprus, to transform it into a country of meritocracy, transparency, good administration, citizen-friendly, with respect for the citizen and the sacrifices it has been asked to make for its survival. For the prevalence of social justice, for the provision of security, institutional, social and economic security in these turbulent times we are going through. For the delivery of tangible results of politics and policies to society rather than the inexpensive parroting of slogans and the cultivation of polarisation by the TV and radio.
I would like to make a comment in your capacity as chairman of the Finance Committee. Do you see things getting worse in the economy because of inflationary pressures and the impact of the war in Ukraine?
The Cypriot, as well as the world economy has already entered a period of uncertainty as a result of the war in Ukraine. Inflation, problems in the supply chain, the impact on tourism as a result of the war, together with the structural problems of the Cypriot economy in terms of competitiveness and productivity make for a difficult environment but at the same time create opportunities. Opportunities on the one hand to correct wrongs but also to encourage the adoption of best practices. This will result in the attraction of long-term investors, both domestic and foreign, whose aim will be not to make a quick profit but to establish a stable and productive presence in Cyprus. It must be stressed that despite the uncertain economic environment Cyprus has strengths which we are all called upon to preserve and maintain.
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