Presidential elections 2008 – Candidates speak on the economy

Cypriot voters will go to more than 1,000 polling stations on February 17 to cast their vote, in favour of one of the nine presidential hopefuls, contesting this year’s elections.
The Chief Returning Officer has announced that 1.157 polling stations will operate in the five electoral districts (Nicosia, Limassol, Famagusta, Larnaca and Paphos) for the 515.994 registered voters, including 390 Turkish Cypriots.
In addition to that, there will be one polling station to accommodate Greek Cypriots living in the northern Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus and one within the Central Prison for the prisoners.
There are three main candidates for the Republic’s highest post: incumbent President Tassos Papadopoulos is seeking re-election, for a second five-year term in office. He is backed by the Democratic Party (DIKO), which he led for a number of years, the Social Democrats Movement EDEK, the European Party and the Ecologists.
House President, General Secretary of AKEL Demetris Christofias is running for the presidency, the first time AKEL has put forward its own candidate for the presidency. AKEL, a former government coalition partner, announced its decision to contest the elections with Christofias in the summer, after EDEK had made public its support for Papadopoulos’ re-election bid. Two other parties also back Christofias candidacy, Front for the Center’s Reconstruction and United Democrats.
Euro MP and former Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides is also one of the main contenders of the Republic’s highest post. He is backed by the Democratic Rally party and other smaller movements, offshoots of the party.
Former Agriculture Minister Costas Themistocleous and Euro MP Marios Matsakis have also submitted their bid for the presidential elections.
In addition to this, Andreas Efstratiou, Costas Kyriakou (Outopos), Anastasis Michael and Christodoulos Neofytou are contesting these elections.

Debate

For the first time, the three main contenders will appear together at a TV debate on Thursday, to be grilled by journalists.
In their most recent appearance before a business orientated audience, at a gathering organized by the Employers and Industrialists Federation, Papadopoulos, Christofias and Kasoulides outlined their outlook on how to handle the economy, aired their views on the global economic situation and the social state.
In his address at the gathering, Papadopoulos said that making profit is not reprehensible for a businessperson; on the contrary, it is the power that moves the economy.
“The EU is a free market economy, which means free trade, reduction or abolition of monopolies and encouragement of private enterprises,” he said, adding that it was disappointing that the average Cypriot aims to join the civil service.
On suggestions to introduce a business-orientated lesson at state schools, he had this to say: “it is not good enough to add one or two lessons a week, but pupils must gain that knowledge that would allow them to be critical”.
“Economic stability, a good rate of economic growth on sound foundations is the first and most important criterion for investment and development,” he said, and welcomed once again Cyprus’ accession to the euro area.
Christofias told businesspersons that if elected, he will not introduce socialist notions in Cyprus, not because he denies his own background but because both he and his party are responsible enough to have priorities that suggest no change in the system.
“Most of you are worried about the prospect of me becoming president and wonder whether the leader of the workers’ party can actually help economic growth without overturns and tribulations,” Christofias said in his address, adding he could introduce certain measures without worrying about re-election.
He said, if elected, within his term in office the Cyprus question must be resolved otherwise it would become even more difficult to reach a political settlement. The AKEL candidate referred to the need for investment in research and technology to help improve production and boost development. He said he does not intend to introduce privatization nor does he wish to nationalize organizations.
“A sound economy is a weapon in our hands to rid our country of the Turkish occupation but we must not become complacent with economic growth and abandon efforts to reunite Cyprus. The biggest danger lies in the current situation when we think there is political and economic stability,” he added.
Christofias promised not to raise taxes or impose new ones and said his government will improve communications and transport, energy supply and water supply and help boost the competitiveness of the country.
Kasoulides talked about “the vulnerability” of the local economy, saying it is susceptible to international trends. He also referred to the need for an economic policy with a vision, long-term strategy, innovation, better use of the labour force and a state “without bureaucracy and unnecessary intervention.”
On the social state, he said development and social cohesion cannot but coexist, adding, “Growth, employment and social cohesion need a modern model of development which will bring higher income to everybody.”
He said Cyprus is losing ground compared to the rest of the EU member states, as far as the per capita income is concerned, adding that the stability the euro area offers to the country lays the ground for economic growth.
“We have to open up our economy, exploit EU mechanisms to our benefit and make new allies, we have to render Cyprus a regional centre for research and technology,” he said, adding that private initiatives, based on quality, must be encouraged.