Christofias wants to safeguard Cyprus economy, does not see a communist state

Presidential hopeful Demetris Christofias would like to renew and modernize further the economic model Cyprus has been using so far, and to add a more social approach.

But just because he has served all his life for the island’s communist party, AKEL, this doesn’t mean that he intends to transform the country into a communist state once he is elected president in the upcoming polls on Sunday.

Andros Kyprianou, member of Christofias’ election campaign team and AKEL party spokesman told a briefing of foreign correspondents that a lot has to be done to close the gap between the rich and the poor, adding that “75,000 people live below the poverty line of CYP 245 (EUR 419) a month, most are pensioners or those supported by the Welfare Department.”

“At the same time we need the cooperation of the community of businessmen to help us push forward the economy of Cyprus,” Kyprianou said.

Disputing the so called “euro skeptic” label, he said that Christofias has had a lot of meetings with officials at the Commission and the European Parliament, and has been received with very favourable feedback.

“Demetris Christofias is a moderate, not an extremist. He will never act in a way to damage the political situation or risk the economy of the country,” Kyprianou said.

“His priority is not to turn Cyprus into a communist state. The aim is to modernize, maybe even democratize institutions of Cyprus.”

The public sector employs 12% of the island’s workforce, almost half the rate of civil servants within the workforce of many European nations. Instead of cutting the workforce, Christofias believes that incentives are necessary to increase their productivity.

“Semi-government organizations have to modernize through a reformed legislation and make their operations more flexible, more competitive, but not necessarily leading to privatization.”

As regards social reforms, Kyprianou said that the successful Citizens Advice Bureau “was introduced by us, not by Tassos Papadopoulos,” as at that time they were implemented by AKEL’s former Interior Minister, Andreas Christou.

On more European issues, he said that the Partnership for Peace is a political issue and not ideological. “We have to ask, is it useful for Cyprus, or for Europe?”

However, Kyprianou made it clear that in the new Christofias administration, “the new Minister of Finance will not be from AKEL but chosen by consensus.”

“We are promoting a progressive, but not a communist, political platform, where there will be no change in the economic and political scene in Cyprus.”

“The country needs somebody who can lead us forward, at such a very crucial stage. We need initiatives to break the deadlock and to negotiate with the Turkish Cypriots. Demetris Christofias is the most reliable politician we have had in the last 10-15 years.”

Kyprianou admitted that “after the referenda the Turkish Cypriots were disappointed (with us), well, so were we (with them).”

“But we can have sincere talks with Turkish Cypriot politicians. The Turkish Cypriots are a necessity, our partners towards a solution. We cannot do without them.”

Kyprianou said that soon after he is elected, Demetris Christofias will ask for the UN Secretary General and the EU to play a role.

“Something is going to happen this year and time is working against us,” added Prof. Andros Kapardis, president of the Christofias campaign sub-committee for the media.

“This will be best done by reaching across to the Turkish Cypriots,” he concluded.