Serving as a DISY member of parliament for Nicosia, the former Minister of Defense and former mayor of Aglantzia, Charalambos Petrides, has made addressing the everyday problems facing citizens his top priority, while also emphasizing the need for substantive and implementable policies within the state’s budgetary constraints.
When asked during the “Alpha Summer” program about his decision to run for and assume a parliamentary role, Mr. Petridis noted that the combination of his professional experience and his political career can offer added value and contribute to the development of policies that will address citizens’ problems.
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As he emphasized, there are many such problems, and, in his view, what the public expects from Parliament is not only the performance of its parliamentary duties but also a contribution to finding solutions.
He noted that the solutions must be feasible and fall within the state’s budgetary framework, as the goal is not simply to consider how much more can be spent, but primarily how available resources can be better utilized.
He made special mention of the need for a sound approach to both housing policy and subsidy policies. As he noted, new needs are emerging in society, particularly during a period of economic hardship and distortions, and the state must intervene in a targeted manner to provide solutions within feasible fiscal constraints.
Focus on housing, inflation, and pensions
As the key priorities of his parliamentary term, Mr. Petridis highlighted the everyday problems faced by citizens, foremost among them the housing crisis, as well as inflation and issues related to pensions.
At the same time, he takes a particular interest in defense and security, geopolitical issues, and energy—areas he has addressed in the past.
Energy and Storage: “We Need Solutions for Consumers, Too”
On the topic of energy, Mr. Petridis addressed the inequality that, as he argued, arises between net metering and net billing, emphasizing that there is currently a need for energy storage not only on the part of the EAC but also on the part of consumers themselves.
In his view, energy storage should already be subsidized, so that a young couple wishing to install solar panels would not be told they cannot proceed because there is currently no specific plan in place.
As he explained, the lack of appropriate incentives creates different classes of citizens in society, a situation which, he said, must be addressed with a new plan that also takes into account the constraints arising from the absorption of existing production.
Cooperation Inside and Outside Parliament
Mr. Petridis serves on the Defense and Finance parliamentary committees, is an alternate member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and also monitors issues of internal governance.
Referring to the functioning of Parliament, he emphasized the need for cooperation both among the parliamentary parties and with the executive branch. As he noted, proposals originating from the executive branch should be subject to immediate consultation and review by the House of Representatives in order to produce effective and implementable policies.
At the same time, he emphasized that Cyprus needs clear direction and goals in foreign policy as well, particularly at the European level.
“As a small country, we must approach Europe as a team and assert ourselves,” was essentially his message, emphasizing that a clear strategy is needed so that the Republic of Cyprus can capitalize on the benefits of its membership in the European Union.
The Cyprus Issue and Wednesday’s Meeting
When asked about DISY’s position regarding the latest developments in the Cyprus issue, particularly in light of Wednesday’s meeting, Mr. Petridis expressed hope that there would be some progress.
At the same time, he expressed concern about Turkey’s stance and the developments of recent years, referring to the “Blue Homeland” narrative, Turkey’s actions in the region, the new challenges, the violations of the FIR, as well as the presence of UAVs, drones, and fighter jets.
As he noted, “things are not simple,” and the Republic of Cyprus must remain credible and consistent in the negotiations, while maintaining clear positions.
Mr. Petrides stated that he hopes the upcoming meeting will lead to a positive outcome, though he personally appeared pessimistic, given, as he said, Turkey’s stance to date.
In his view, the coming period calls for seriousness, realism, and clear priorities, both domestically and internationally, with the goal of enabling Parliament to contribute substantially to resolving the problems facing society.
