“We still have a long way to go before we reach the discussion of which candidate we will support in the presidential election,” said AKEL Secretary-General Stefanos Stefanou. Responding to “those who believe there has been a delay,” he said that “we have not fallen behind,” noting that there is still nearly a year and a half until the elections and that the party is proceeding according to its plans. “We will be ready in good time to enter the electoral fray—with determination and optimism,” he said.
Speaking at the AKEL Famagusta Conference, the AKEL Secretary-General commented on reports that “your opponents are already on the campaign trail,” noting that AKEL’s response is that “at some point, we’ll get to the names. After all, presidential elections cannot take place without a candidate. However, we still have a long way to go before we reach the discussion of which candidate we will support,” he said.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Appetizers
Democratic Rally: A party with one ballot and two candidates
He added that for AKEL, “the priority is contacts and discussions with other political forces and organized groups that disagree with government policies and desire progressive change,” noting that the goal of these contacts and discussions is to find common ground for cooperation ahead of the elections. “In this way, we will strengthen our chances of winning the elections and promoting progressive change,” he said.
At the same time, he took a swipe at the petty party-political expediencies and personal ambitions of those who have plunged Cyprus “into a premature and protracted campaign ahead of the 2028 presidential election.” He criticized the fact that “instead of discussing proposals and measures that would help ordinary citizens who are suffering and struggling,” as he put it, “in fact, the housing crisis, insufficient incomes, and the inability to meet basic needs, the discussion is monopolized by distractions at fish taverns and backroom deals of the sort: ‘Take the Speakership of Parliament and give me the Presidency of the Republic,’” adding that “this is how some people approach public office: how they and their faction can benefit. Obviously, this is how self-serving and major interests are served, behind closed doors and through the mediation of major media owners. “This is how the Right’s political dealings are conducted,” he said.
Stefanos Stefanou said that for AKEL, “collaborations are always built on the basis of shared aspirations and goals,” adding that “we do not deceive the public with empty promises and commitments. We always present a sincere and fully feasible program to help our Cyprus and its people. Especially all those who are suffering from the anti-people policies of the N. Christodoulides government, which are a continuation of the policies of the previous N. Anastasiades – DISY,” he said.
The AKEL Secretary-General noted that the party is working to forge alliances with political forces and organized groups that seek progressive change, noting that the search for common ground on policy will, at a later stage, lead to a discussion about the candidate who will lead the effort. Responding to those who believe there has been a delay, he clarified that “we are not behind schedule,” noting that there is still nearly a year and a half until the elections and that the party is proceeding according to its plans. “We will be ready in good time to enter the electoral fray—with determination and optimism,” he said.
He also emphasized that a solution to the Cyprus problem is always a priority in AKEL’s policy, noting that “Famagusta is a key factor in its overall resolution.” Speaking from the podium at the conference in Famagusta, he emphasized that “we will never compromise on partition or on the temporary nature of the status quo, which suits certain people in building their careers and fortunes.”
Referring to the party’s results in the parliamentary elections, he described them as “exceptional,” while congratulating the officials, members, and friends of the Party and the Popular Movement, noting that in the Famagusta district, AKEL saw a 2.2% increase and in the free area of Famagusta, a 3% increase. “The result proves that when we engage with society, when we address the problems where they exist, when we are constantly standing by and alongside the people, people recognize it, appreciate it, and acknowledge it,” he said.
Referring to the priorities of progressive change, the AKEL Secretary-General set as a key objective the resolution of the Cyprus problem on the agreed basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, emphasizing the need to safeguard the negotiating acquis, particularly in light of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s term coming to an end at the end of the year.
“This is where we must focus our efforts,” he said. At the same time, he noted that “progressive change requires strengthening the welfare state,” with the aim of addressing inequalities, poverty, and economic insecurity, as well as supporting the incomes of workers and those on low pensions, strengthening labor rights, and addressing the housing and energy crises.
He also referred to the need to develop a new economic model that combines growth with environmental protection, to address water scarcity and challenges in energy and waste management, as well as to strengthen the rule of law, “by restoring institutions and cracking down on institutional collusion and corruption.”
He advocated for a multidimensional foreign policy that “is based on international law and serves the vital interests of our people and no one else,” while criticizing policies that, as he said, hand over the country’s critical infrastructure and wealth to foreign interests. He concluded by stating that “progressive change will put an end to the infiltration of the far right into the centers of power,” which, he argued, is taking place with the tolerance and encouragement of the government and the parties that cooperate with it.
Source: KYPE
