The Synagermikos members who supported Nikos Christodoulides in the previous elections are the ones who had doubts about the path Averof Neophytou will take today, says Yiannis Karousos, Vice President of the Democratic Rally, from the studio of the Alpha Kalimera show.
When asked whether the fact that Averof Neophytou requested the documents required to submit his candidacy means he will participate in the party’s internal procedures, Mr. Karousos referred to his statements from yesterday, when he said he considers his participation a given.
“I had told you that I consider it a given that Averof Neophytou, with his announcement that he will run in the elections and seek the nomination through the Democratic Rally, Averof Neophytou did not say that I would run.”
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When asked to explain why he hadn’t clarified this and left it up in the air, Mr. Karousos replied that everyone is free to engage in politics as they see fit.
“In any case, I know that everyone—including Mr. Pamporidis and Mr. Averof—is reaching out to people to get them to sign the list of 500. Therefore, I consider it a given.”
Mr. Karousos argues that those who took Averof Neophytou’s run as an independent for granted are the ones who voted for Nicos Christodoulides on the first Sunday, while the rest take it for granted that he will join the party and run within the party’s procedures.
“What I’ve noticed is that some of those making comments are the ones who, based on a single statement, assume I’ll be a candidate—a statement that’s open to any interpretation. We, the party leadership—those who stood by Averoff in 2023—take it for granted that he will be part of the party’s procedures. However, some others who did not support the party in 2023 take it for granted that he will run as an independent.”
He wonders what else Mr. Neophytou should say, since he is collecting signatures; this is how Mr. Karousos responds when asked if he doesn’t think Averof Neophytou should provide clear answers.
When asked whether the personal feud and the very deep personal rift between Annita Dimitriou and Averof Neophytou are essentially being bridged, he replied that enemies have often become political friends.
“Differences, feuds, politics. We’ve experienced them so, so, so many times, and we’ve seen bitter enemies become political friends and unite for the common good.”
He admits that there were missteps within the Democratic Rally—including his own—and cites the leak of internal polls as an example.
“I don’t know who leaked the internal poll, but the leak was a huge mistake. We have an issue with this in the Democratic Rally—whatever we say, whatever we discuss among ourselves. We see it published. We see them in the media; we see them published—and even if they aren’t accurate, at least let the accurate ones be leaked. But this is an issue. A big one. So the leak—the person who leaked it—hurt the Democratic Rally with what happened. Because that’s when this whole story began.”
He adds that after 2023, there was no self-criticism or proper assessment of the outcome.
“I don’t understand why we should be afraid to say certain things. Yes, if some people made a mistake, they should say, ‘I made a mistake.’ Some should explain why they didn’t support Averof Neophytou. You have to do these things. That’s why the political bureaus need to meet—to discuss how the party organization should function, from the leadership down to the local committees. People want to speak their minds.”
When asked what will happen, according to the party’s bylaws, in the event that Anita Dimitriou is excluded from the internal party process, he states that the bylaws do not provide for such a scenario and that it is up to her to decide what to do.
When asked to respond to comments from DISY officials, who compare Averof Neophytou’s behavior to that of Nikos Christodoulides in 2023, Mr. Karousos says that Nikos Christodoulides began his campaign the day he took office as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“I don’t think anyone currently participating in this process would have campaigned to take part in it, except for the Democratic Rally. That is, to harm or mislead the Democratic Rally. They are all party officials: the current and former leaders of the Democratic Rally, George Pamporidis, a former minister with all his experience, and a member of parliament. Three serious and capable candidates. I consider it a given that they will all participate in the process.”
When asked to comment on Giorgos Pamporidis’s statements in a podcast that Averof Neophytou had turned his back on DISY, Mr. Karousos noted that during the previous elections, he had crisscrossed Cyprus to help the party even though he had no obligation to do so.
“The message Averof was sending through his interview the day before yesterday or through his statements—and the message I received as a member of the leadership—is: how will you, the leadership, ensure that, in the event thatI or anyone else were to say that I—or the candidate—will not have to go through what I went through in 2023. It is up to us, the leadership, to prove that yes, everyone will stand by the candidate who is chosen.”
He identifies Nikos Christodoulides as the Democratic Rally’s main rival, noting that based on the polls—whether they’re leaked or not— Nikos Christodoulides will face off against the DISY candidate in the second round of the elections.
When asked which parties they would turn to for cooperation, Mr. Karousos stated that DISY will have its own candidate and that anyone who agrees with his positions is welcome to support him. When asked if he would cooperate with ELAM, he questioned why not, given that even the President of the Republic is cooperating with them. He is in favor of cooperation between DISY and DIKO and argues that many mistakes were made, including regarding the Speaker of the House in 2021.
“I believe that in 2021, regarding the House of Representatives, the Democratic Rally should have supported Nikolas Papadoulou for the Speakership at that time. Things would have been very different in the 2023 presidential election had that happened.”
He explains that no one can demand support without offering support in return on certain issues. When asked if he considers the election of Annita Dimitriou a mistake, he notes that she was elected, but that it influenced the presidential election.
