Proposal for overturning the "ominous election result", as he described it, was presented by the candidate for the Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus, Marios Iliades for a coalition of forces that remain committed to the IOI.
Press conference was held today by the independent candidate for President of the Republic, Marios Iliades, during which he presented a series of actions that he undertook in the last period of time, aiming to overturn the ominous election result, as recorded in the polls.
"Faced with the visible danger of the anti-federal front taking over our country,
Mr. Iliades called on the forces that remain faithfully committed to the agreed basis for a solution to the Cyprus problem to react in unity.
"Today, the country needs as never before the rallying of those who believe that we are united by common positions, common goals, aspirations and visions."
"Today the country needs more than ever the rallying of those who believe that we are united by common positions, common goals, aspirations and visions.
"In this spirit I have drafted and sent to all parties and candidates moving in this arc a last open letter - an invitation to set aside even now our individual candidacies and unite our forces around a unifying candidacy, which commits itself now to the formation of a government of broad acceptance and collective responsibility, which will lead and assume the fate of the country in the crucial next five years", he noted.
He added that I have sent this open letter, "which I am sharing with you, to the General Secretary of AKEL Stefanos Stefanou, the President of the Ecologists Haralambos Theopeptou and my co-candidates Andreas Mavroyiannis, Achilleas Demetriades, Konstantinos Christofides and Christodoulos Protopapas".
"I have sent it
also to the candidate for President and President of DISY Averof Neophytou, since I believe that both he personally, as well as his party and his faction have at least on the Cyprus issue common positions and concerns with the rest of us and therefore have a position and role, in a united effort to ensure the survival of our people and the Republic of Cyprus," Marios Eliades said at the press conference.
The following is the speech of independent presidential candidate Marios Iliades.
Friends,
I will not bore you by developing in an endless monologue my positions, views and proposals on the whole range of issues that concern the Cypriot people, nor on the many issues that the current election campaign has opened up.
I believe that you already know my positions and views to a satisfactory degree. If there are of course issues you want to discuss we can do so afterwards, as I will be at your disposal for any questions.
Dear friends,
As you will remember, I am the first to announce, since December 2021, my intention to run for the Presidency of the Republic, with the aim and purpose of making it a springboard of awakening and resistance for us, the disaffected citizens, to the humiliating and unpleasant things we have been experiencing as a people and a country in recent years.
The slogan I chose, "No more hiding to pass, we speak to save ourselves", was not accidental.
It expressed and expresses the indignation and anger of the citizens for the rot, corruption, corruption, corruption and economic misery brought to the country by the last administrations, a view shared by the vast majority of our fellow citizens, as expressed in all the polls that have seen the light of day in recent months.
But it also expressed our refusal to accept that the Cyprus problem has been resolved over the years and that the goal of reunification of our homeland is no longer feasible on the basis of a bizonal bicommunal federation.
In submitting my independent candidacy, it was clear to me from the outset that this path cannot be a lonely one, nor a one-man affair. I believed and I continue to believe that our Cyprus, today more than ever, needs the greatest possible unity.
A unity, of people and leadership, which can only be forged around a non-partisan President and a government of broad acceptance and collective responsibility.
And because I am one of those who, regardless of their timeless mistakes, recognize the enormous role and importance of the political parties in the proper functioning of our democracy, I appealed to all political forces from the outset, seeking their maximum possible cooperation and collaboration in this effort.
The result is well known. Unfortunately, it was not as expected, since the political parties made other choices.
Along the way, other independent candidates emerged, with common positions and common concerns. I was also a pioneer in the attempt to unite all independent candidates around a common candidacy, but unfortunately that attempt did not succeed either.
I must make it clear that in all the meetings and contacts that I had in the context of these efforts with the political forces, my fellow candidates and other actors in society - which were very many - I naturally raised before them the possibility of supporting my own candidacy, but at the same time, I was clearly emphasising that my candidacy was not an end in itself and that if a broader cooperation could be achieved around another candidacy which has similar positions and visions to mine, I would withdraw mine and support it with all my strength.
Today the whole electoral scene has taken a completely different shape from what I have been passionately pursuing all this time and we are heading to the polls with, in my opinion, the worst possible data.
All those who believe in the necessity of a real change in the country, all those who truly and actively believe that the only secure basis for a solution to the Cyprus problem is a bizonal bicommunal federation and that only through such a solution can we avert the visible danger of the partition of our homeland, are marching towards the elections divided and fragmented.
On the contrary, we are facing a front of forces and individuals who have never believed in and sincerely sought a solution to the Cyprus problem, an amalgamation of heterogeneous and contradictory situations whose only unifying factor is the satisfaction of personal ambitions and the thirst to seize and hold power.
And as a result solely of our own division of forces and our own inability to offer the citizens a unifying candidacy, this mosaic, as it seems, is unfortunately heading towards power.
This will be the worst possible outcome for our country and our people.
The possible victory in the presidential elections of those who do not believe in a solution to the Cyprus problem will spread new frustration among our Turkish Cypriot compatriots and will encourage and further discourage Turkey in its expansionist ambitions.
At the same time, this disparate front is not and cannot provide solutions to the huge problems facing our people.
At the same time, at home, given the different, contradictory and conflicting positions of the forces that make up this mosaic and the proven weaknesses and lack of foresight of Mr.Christodoulides, we will enter a period of substantial ungovernability and inaction with disastrous consequences for the country.
In the face of these facts, we have a historical duty and responsibility to react united.
I am aware of how difficult a task this is. But if we do not dare to do so, history will consider all of us as accomplices and co-responsible if we let our country, our homeland and our people enter into this adventure and ordeal.
Today the country needs more than ever the rallying of those who believe that we are united by common positions, common goals, aspirations and visions.
Today the country needs the rallying of those who believe that we are united by common positions, common goals, aspirations and visions.
In this spirit, I have drafted and sent to all parties and candidates moving in this arc a final open letter - an invitation to set aside even now our individual candidacies and unite our forces around a unifying candidacy, which commits itself now to the formation of a government of broad acceptance and collective responsibility, which will lead and assume the fate of the country in the crucial next five years.
This open letter, which I am sharing with you, has been sent to the General Secretary of AKEL, Stefanos Stefanou, the President of the Ecologists, Charalambos Theopeptou and my co-candidates Andreas Mavroyiannis, Achilleas Demetriades, Konstantinos Christofides and Christodoulos Protopapas.
I have also sent it to the Presidential candidate and President of DISY, Averof Neophytou, since I believe that both he personally, as well as his party and his party have at least on the Cyprus issue common positions and concerns with the rest of us and therefore have a position and role in a unifying effort to ensure the survival of our people and the Republic of Cyprus.
Dear friends,
I believe that this is the last chance we have to turn things around and avert the enormous dangers that threaten us. Now is not the time for personal ambitions or factional interests.
This is not the time for ideological and political dogmas.
These are the tree and not the forest, which is in danger of going up in flames and being completely destroyed.
This is the time to assume our historical responsibility towards our people and our country.
This is the time to assume our historical responsibility towards our people and our country.
This is the time to assume our historical responsibility towards our people and our country.
This is the time to assume our historical responsibility towards our people and our country.
If we fail to do so, the worst that will happen is not that history will condemn us for our cowardice and pettiness, but that we will leave our country exposed to the risk of a major disaster, with unforeseen consequences for Cyprus and our people.
Thank you and I am at your disposal for any question."
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