Disy will keep Cyprus ‘moving forward’, Neophytou says as conference closes  

Ruling Disy’s two-day political and ideological conference concluded on Saturday with an address by leader and presidential candidate Averof Neophytou saying the party intends to keep the country moving forward.

Saturday’s session was held in the presence of government officials, MPs, European Commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas, EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides and European People’s Party secretary general Antonio López-Istúriz White.

In his opening address, Neophytou welcomed each of the foreign guests, making special reference to their work.

The Disy leader praised the role and work of commissioner Kyriakides and the European Commission dealing with the pandemic.

Addressing Schinas, he mentioned a number of issues concerning the European Union and its people, from immigration to the health crisis and the war in Ukraine.  On the issue of irregular migration into Cyprus, he said it is in danger of taking on a significance to match the national issue.

Finally, he called López-Istúriz “a personal friend, a friend of Disy and Cyprus”.

Neophytou said that Disy believes in Europe and in “turning crises into opportunities to create a more solid background for the present and the future of Europe”.

In his own address, Schinas said that the accession of Cyprus as a member of the European Union was “Hellenism’s greatest diplomatic success after the accession of Greece into United Europe”.

He also assured that the island’s reunification will always be the EU’s sole goal towards a sustainable solution. “This is our only agenda towards the illegal occupation that followed a violent invasion,” he said.

On Turkey, he said that it has to bend to Europe’s will because “Europe will never bend to theirs”.

For her part, Kyriakides said that “we don’t have the luxury to focus on anything but our national issue, because only through reunification will we be able to live in real peace, security and wellbeing.

“This should be our national compass, our ultimate national goal,” she said.

“Cyprus is our home and we will fight to the end for the liberation and reunification of our homeland,” Neophytou said. “Our heart is with Greece, our future is with Europe, and we will work to create a better tomorrow for the present and future generations”.

The conference saw a number of speakers including several ministers, while the party’s Political and Ideological Manifesto was approved, which will now accompany the party’s founding proclamation.

Closing the proceedings of the conference, the party leader thanked everyone involved in its execution, as well as the distinguished guests and party founders who participated.

“We are not fighting this battle for Disy to stay in power. It is to keep the country moving forward, and these two days we have clearly sent the message that we will not allow anyone to turn things backwards.

“The only way is forward, for a better Cyprus for us and our children,” he said in closing.