In an emotional atmosphere, the former President of the Republic Mr.Nicos Anastasiades handed over the Presidency of the Republic to the new President of the country Mr. Nicos Christodoulides, who went to the Presidential Palace today, accompanied by his wife Mrs. Filippa Karsera Christodoulides and members of their family
At a meeting at the President's Office, President Anastasiades and his wife Mrs. Andri Anastasiades welcomed the new presidential couple.
Welcoming the new President, the former President said that "I welcome you in a place familiar to you. For nine long years we have been, on a daily basis, in close cooperation, either to coordinate government communication or to coordinate our foreign policy.
I am really happy because your success in the elections is, for me, a confirmation of the choice of a worthy partner. I am sure that knowing your work ethic, your commitment to principles, you will help to achieve through dialogue what we have largely achieved over the decade. There have been omissions, but politics is an ongoing process. Every era has its own needs. We may have faced three seismic crises with a high degree of success, but many expect the new presidency, my Nick, to find and see answers. Knowing you, I have no doubt that you will work with the same determination, the same zeal as during the service that I entrusted to you and that you successfully carried out.
What comes first is the resolution of the Cyprus problem, which depends not only on our own will and determination, we have proven that, but on the change of attitude on the part of Turkey with its revisionist aspirations and I want to hope that the latest events will help to revise the Turkish policy and with the activation of the EU that we had for the first time in 2017 and with the initiatives that have been taken both by me recently and, which has been the common position, by getting more active engagement of the EU, more active engagement of the US administration, so that some facts can emerge that will allow us to hope for the future of Hellenic Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots through a solution that will ensure functionality, sustainability, addressing the concerns not only of Turkish Cypriots but also of Greek Cypriots.
On the issues of internal governance, progress has been made. Each state is evolving and has new needs and responses to the problems that the people face. I have no doubt of your sensitivities and of your known to me positions, you will succeed especially considering the willingness of the parties to take responsibility and carry out a vision that will take us further. With that said, my dear Nikos, I welcome you to this office that was known to you, but I especially welcome you to the powers you are assuming to implement what is required for the good of the Cypriot people, the Cypriot Hellenism, and the Turkish Cypriots".
On the new First Lady Filippa Karsera Christodoulides, the former President of the Republic said that "I could not fail to mention Filippa, who has been my assistant for three years on European issues, sherpa, a remarkable personality who I am sure will contribute positively to the decisions, to the orientations, to the common policy we have pursued, which does not mean that it will always be adapted to the circumstances of this particular mandate, but which will evolve for the benefit of all our compatriots.
Finally, addressing the new President, Anastasiades said that "it is with great pleasure and pride that I hand over the Presidency to you".
For his part, the new President thanked the former President for the confidence he showed in him in 2013 to appoint him as Director of his Diplomatic Office, then as Government Spokesman and then as Foreign Minister.
He added that "during these nine years we have been together more than with our families. We went through critical moments both on the Cyprus problem and on internal governance issues. It is a fact that I am receiving a much better Cyprus than the one you received.
You have succeeded in the great gamble of the economic recovery of our country, a recovery that is crucial to be able to build a successful foreign policy and internal governance.
I keep the many positives of the previous administration that we will build on, the important reforms that were made for the first time in the history of our country, be it in the health sector, military service, local government, the judiciary or the NEC. And even a minority government, beyond the first year of government, was a minority government in terms of the state of affairs in the House of Representatives.
Our big goal is to build on all the positives that your administration has achieved. I am proud to have been part of that administration.
Mistakes were made. To avoid mistakes the best recipe is to do nothing. But we are here to make tough decisions. No one can guarantee that they will have absolute agreement with their decisions within the policy framework.
You make decisions, some people are satisfied some people are not. The key thing is to dare to take decisions that are in the interest of the country.
On the Cyprus issue, we worked together from the beginning and did everything possible to achieve a solution to the Cyprus problem. Unfortunately, this goal was not achieved, but building on the work that was done particularly to the European factor and to the United States, with your guidance, it was the first time that we had such an outward-looking foreign policy, we had moved away from a one-dimensional foreign policy, highlighting the added importance of our country, whether in the region with the trilateral cooperation or with the excellent relations with all the neighbouring states, for the first time strengthening our relations with the United States. We will use and further strengthen these facts to achieve the number one goal, which is the resolution of the Cyprus problem.
I am sure that our contact does not end today, our contact will continue throughout my term of office. I conclude by wanting to thank Mrs. Andri, for nine years we were together in difficult, critical moments and I would like to thank you that on many occasions I felt that I was part of your family."
(PM/EP)
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