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Christodoulides’ spin doctor sacked for copying Kasoulides’ 2008 campaign speeches

former minister nikos christodoulides launching his campaign on thursday
Nikos Christodoulides

Presidential hopeful Nikos Christodoulides has let go of one of his spin doctors after it turned out that several of his talking points bore an uncanny similarity or were identical to those used by candidate Ioannis Kasoulides back in the 2008 election cycle.

Local media reported that communications advisor Giorgos Flessas, a Greek national, is no longer a part of Christodoulides’ team.

As it so happens, Flessas had also advised Kasoulides during the 2008 presidential elections campaign, and later provided his services to Greek Prime Minister Kyriacos Mitsotakis.

Internet sleuths fast caught on to the language and slogans used by Christodoulides during his promo clip released last Thursday when he announced he was running for president in 2023.

One supercut doing the rounds shows candidate Kasoulides speaking in 2008, followed by Christodoulides from his promo a few days ago. The words are exactly the same:

“The dam of fear is breached – the wave of support is growing.”

In another montage, alternating between the two men, both say: “I call on you to wage the big struggle for the Cyprus of the 21st century.”

Another example is Kasoulides’ frequent use of the word ‘vision’ at a gathering in Limassol in 2008. The same word came up at least 15 times during Christodoulides’ announcement last week.

And another part of Christodoulides’ speech looks like it was copy-pasted from Kasoulides. The former said:

“In Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos…and from Famagusta, Morphou, Kyrenia, Karpasia…to the Cypriot communities overseas – in Greece, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia…in our towns and villages, beat the hearts of Cypriots who know how to fight, how to create, how to offer to their land and country.”

Switch to Kasoulides in 2008:

“In Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos, in Morphou, Famagusta and Kyrenia. In Greece, Britain, Australia. In our towns and villages. Everywhere the heart of Cypriot Hellenism beats. Everywhere beats the heart of Cypriots who learned how to fight, how to win, how to create, and how to offer to their land and country.”

Social media accounts of persons affiliated to the ruling Disy party wasted no time trolling Christodoulides.

In what looked like a damage-control exercise, Christodoulides posted this on his Facebook feed:

“The only way not to make mistakes is to do nothing. What is at stake in this election? Let’s see the future of our country.”

Christodoulides, who recently resigned his post as foreign minister and was succeeded by Kasoulides, has taken flak for ‘betraying’ his alma mater party Disy by running as an ‘independent’.

 

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