The Democratic Alarm has been put on alert following Averof Neophytou’s announcement of his candidacy for the 2028 presidential election, just as the party leadership is meeting at noon on Monday to decide on the timeline for submitting candidacies and holding the party primaries.

Speaking on the “Alpha Kalimera” show, Euthymios Diplaros, Deputy President of the Democratic Alarm, explained that last Monday they agreed to establish a roadmap this Monday for the 2028 presidential election, covering the submission of candidacies and the setting of the date for the primary election.

“Today, what we will have is a roadmap for how we will proceed until the selection of our candidate for the presidency of the republic.”

Read also: Diplaros Demands a Clear Answer from Averof: Is He Seeking the DISY Nomination or Announcing an Independent Candidacy?

Commenting on the fact that Averof Neophytou announced his candidacy for the presidential election rather than for the party’s internal procedures, he states:

“It’s not about Averof, it’s not about Diplaros; it’s simply a matter of institutions. The Democratic Rally is a major democratic party. We have a constitution, we have governing bodies, we have procedures.”

Read also: DISY’s first statement following Averof’s announcement: Nomination only “through the party’s established statutory procedures”

When asked to comment on the fact that this involves the former DISY President, who appears to be announcing his candidacy one way or another, he replied:

“Averof Neophytou has every—and I mean every—right to run for the office of President of the Republic. That is absolutely respectable. The question at hand, however, is institutional in nature; it is a single, specific issue.”

When asked whether, in addition to being respectable, it is also ethical, he stated:

“I believe that for a President who went through what he went through in 2023 and, like many thousands of members, criticized the conduct of another member of our party at that time, it would be inappropriate to do such a thing. The question that must be posed to Averof Neophytou is whether he will seek the Democratic Alarm’s nomination through the party’s process or whether he will run as an independent candidate.”

When asked whether he believes he clarifies this in his statement or if he’s bluffing, he answers in the negative.

“I believe that Averof Neophytou, as the faction’s president for many years and as its deputy for just as many, knows the procedures. He knows that something like this would hurt the party and the people of the Democratic Alarm, and he wouldn’t want to do to others—if I may put it that way—what was done to him in 2023.”

When asked about the atmosphere within the Democratic Alarm, he replies that it is calm until a timeline is established that everyone will adhere to; when asked what will happen if the procedures are not followed, he states:

“I’m saying that if something happens outside the procedures—which I hope won’t happen—I believe it will hurt, sadden, and disappoint thousands of Democratic Alarm members. I cannot imagine or believe that President Averof Neophytou would do such a thing.”

When asked if Averof’s announcement came as a bolt from the blue, he said they were aware of it since Averof himself had stated that if there were no developments in the Cyprus issue, he would take this action.

When asked whether they would invite Averof Neophytou to participate in internal party proceedings, he replied that it goes without saying that he should do so and that there is no need to invite him.

Mr. Diplaros stated that he is in contact with all the party chairpersons and with the Chairwoman of the Parliamentary Group. Responding to a question about the communication they had with Mr. Neophytou and what was said, he said:

“He told me what he announced at his press conference. He fully understands the procedures, knows very well what needs to be done, and from here on out we’ll have to be a little patient—he himself needs to be asked and to answer what he will do.”

He also states that he did not want to go into detail about what he will do.

“He expressed his own position and opinion. It is entirely respectable and understandable. We’ll have to be a little patient, see what dates are set, and from there on, everyone who’s interested will be invited to run for office.”

When asked if there is a rift between Averof Neothouitos and the leadership of the Democratic Alarm, he replied:

“I don’t believe there’s any conflict. Disagreements may arise, just as they do in all collective bodies. But there is absolutely no conflict.”

He notes that there are differing perspectives and interpretations of events among them, while noting that Anita Dimitriou and Averof Neophytou met recently and engaged in a two-and-a-half-hour dialogue in a positive atmosphere.

“Both expressed their views because each is interested in the nomination of the party’s presidential candidate.”

Regarding Mr. Pamboridis, he responds that he does not believe Pamboridis has backed down; however, Pamboridis, too, will have to make a decision once the dates are set.

He also expresses concern and sadness at the prospect of the Democratic Alarm being split into three factions.

Read also: Averof Neophytou: The Implications of an Announcement

When asked whether timelines would be set today, DISY Spokesperson Onoufrios Koulla he replied that these had been discussed as ideas during the previous meeting and were set aside for today’s session, adding that the leadership aims to meet every Monday, if the schedule permits.

“Last Monday we had said that it would be rescheduled for this Monday, so that the United Nations General Assembly could be concluded. We’ll see, we’ll evaluate the results, and then we’ll conduct an assessment in that regard and determine how to proceed with the presidential elections.It’s a process that starts with the leadership and goes through the Executive Bureau, and the body that can make decisions is the Political Bureau. That’s where we’ll end up, one way or another.”

When asked if he had spoken personally with Mr. Neophytou, he replied in the negative and stated that he had seen the announcement of his candidacy in the press.

“The Democratic Alarm has no dead ends. It has procedures. They are institutionalized. These procedures are mandatory. In this case, we are such an open party that we say any interested member can run for office. To present themselves before tens of thousands of members and secure the nomination.”

When asked whether they will invite Averof Neophytou to run for office through the party’s procedures, he replies that this is what they do for everyone interested in the presidential election

“And we say it would be good to clarify that he is within the party’s procedures. Because just the mere suggestion that the opposite might be the case—I can’t help but say—creates unrest and concern. Personally, I also feel disappointed as someone who passionately believes in these procedures. That is why we supported Mr. Averof Neophytou in 2023, believing that this was the only path, the only way to ensure that the party moves forward united and coordinated. Since then, if you will, we have even expanded democracy.”

He emphasizes that the tens of thousands of members want a candidate who will emerge through “democratic” procedures.

When asked if there are “Christodoulides supporters,” “Averof Neophytou’s Synergatiki supporters,” and “Anita’s Synergatiki supporters,” he responds by pointing out that there is only one Democratic Synergatiki.

“There is only one Democratic Alarm. It does not belong to any individual; in other words, I, too, belong to Onoufrios’s Alarm. There must be only one Democratic Alarm, and if in a given election someone makes a different choice, I’ll say that’s their right. From this point forward, we believe there should be a single candidate, and that candidate should be respected.”

“I think that Mr. Neophytou, first and foremost and above all else, with all due respect, I truly believe he understands the procedures much better than we do—their mandatory nature as well as their importance for the cohesion of the party for many years and decades to come,” he emphasizes.

When asked if the announcement came as a complete surprise, he says he was taken aback.

“This was a surprise to me, without a doubt. I don’t want to believe it. I mean, we have time; I believe it will be clarified. It’s impossible for me to imagine that a party official— a former president, would end up running as an independent candidate outside the party’s established procedures. It’s extremely difficult for me to think, imagine, or believe such a thing at this moment.”

Aside from the pre-election debate and Averof Neophytou’s announcement, the government wishes to remain on the sidelines, however, it responds to references regarding the Cyprus issue by calling on politicians to be careful about the messages they send and not to imply that others do not want a solution, as Deputy Government Spokesperson Yiannis Antoniou stated while speaking on the Alpha Kalimera program.

Read also: “It’s counterproductive”: The government’s response to what Averof “implies” regarding the Cyprus issue