RULING DISY yesterday announced its candidates for the six spots on the party’s ballot for the coming European Parliament elections. MEPs Andreas Pitsillides and Eleni Theocharous, who had previously expressed interest in seeking re-election, are joined by party MPs Sotiris Sampson and Lefteris Christoforou. Christos Stylianides, the government spokesman, surprised everyone when he announced that he would also be seeking a spot on the party’s ballot.
Speaking to the press, Stylianides said that he was “eager to serve in a European post”. He did not rule out the possibility of taking the post of the European Commissioner from Cyprus, after Androulla Vassiliou steps down on October.
The party hopefuls won’t be competing for all six spots, as three of them are already taken. A spot was given to EVROKO leader Demetris Syllouris and the other to Rena Choplarou, an activist who is one of the leaders of the “We are staying in the EU” initiative.
The third spot will be given to some proposed by the party leader Averof Neophytou.
DISY’s political bureau will convene on March 15 to finalise the list and on March 22 the party’s supreme council will validate it.
