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I am not interested in being unpopular but useful, President of the Republic Nicos Christodoulides said tonight.
In his remarks to journalists, coming to an event of the European Parliament Office in Cyprus, at the Casteliotissa Hall, and asked about the measures decided today by the Cyprus Football Federation (CFF), the President of the Republic said: "The measures announced by the CMP today are in the right direction. However, they are not enough. As a State we have an obligation towards the safety and security of the last citizen of this country and tonight we will announce more measures and even measures of a legislative nature. I realise that some of the measures may not be liked by some people.
What interests me is not to be liked, what interests me is to be useful and in this context I welcome. I say it is in the right direction - in particular the call for tougher penalties - but tonight we will announce more measures."
In response to a reporter's remark that there is opposition to the fact that the majority of the fans are being punished, the President said: "Let's hear the measures and subsequently, if there are reactions, we will be here to comment. What I am interested in is not to be unpopular, but to be beneficial. We are not playing with the security of any citizen of this country.
Recently, the day after the game, I spoke with the mother of the child. Anyone who is a parent if they heard what this child went through I don't think they would have felt satisfied. So there will be additional measures, they will be announced tonight. If there are any reactions here we are here to discuss them. But I don't want to announce them myself. They are being prepared right now, the groundwork has been done, we are waiting to hear. We have heard, we have seen, and we will make announcements."
Asked about the measure announced for Turkish Cypriots in relation to the granting of citizenship, the President said: "In 2007, under the Tassos Papadopoulos administration, the Council of Ministers set five criteria in the matter of examining applications for Cypriot citizenship. These applications were not examined - their examination was stopped - and they will start being examined."
Asked what message he wants to send through the package of measures for Turkish Cypriots, the President of the Republic said: "Turkish Cypriots are citizens of the Republic of Cyprus, we show it in practice. We are the Republic of Cyprus, a member state of the European Union (EU), internationally recognised, we are not a pseudo-state. We will examine the requests made and on the basis of the legality, the laws, the regulations of the Republic of Cyprus, the European acquis, decisions will be taken."
Asked about the reaction of trade unions to the measure to widen products under the green line regulation, the President of the Republic said: "There is no reaction whatsoever. I am in contact with both the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and the Federation of Employers and Industrialists (FEC) and I am aware of the publication in advance. I had contacts with them, and what was announced is in consultation with them."
In response to a journalist's remark that trade unions said there was unfair competition with the green line regulation, the President said: "There is unfair competition in some cases yes - you haven't seen the products yet - with the regulation agreed on the part of the Republic of Cyprus in 2004."
(PM/EAth/MS)
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