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Everything in place for archbishop elections

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Photo: Christos Theodorides

Everything is ready for Sunday’s archbishop elections, the general commissioner for them Ioannis Charilaou said on Friday.

Earlier in the day, ballot boxes were turned over those in charge of polling stations, so that work could begin in setting them up in 942 locations, schools and churches across Cyprus.

Voting will begin after the church service on Sunday, with polls set to be open from 10am to 1pm, and then again from 2pm to 6pm.

Charilaou said that the results of the top three will be announced on Sunday night, but that he could not say what time exactly.

Following the elections, a three-day objection period will follow, and then a five-day period for the Holy Synod to examine the objections.

After that the synod will confirm the triumvirate, and within three days meet to vote for the next archbishop.

Commenting on the procedures followed and the work put into setting up the elections, Charilaou said: “Let’s be patient and everything will be fine. Let’s be patient because it was a huge project. We want you by our side and thank you very much… The church must also maintain a good public image. A beautiful image. A mild image.”

Interior Ministry Permanent Secretary Costas Constantinou said that on Sunday he will be in the archdiocese with a small staff, so that if anything arises the prefects will be in direct communication with him for procedural matters. He pointed out that the responsibility for the elections lies with Charilaou, who was appointed by the Holy Synod.

The presiding officer of each polling station by Saturday should open the ballot box to check its contents and make sure that it is equipped with the necessary documents, the electoral forms, the electoral roll, the ballots, the official seal of the election, and other stationery to conduct the vote.

All those registered have the right to vote, by showing either an identity card or an election booklet.

After the end of the voting and the completion of the counting, the vote count sheet is filled in and sealed, then signed by the presiding officer and the two assistants, after the correctness of the entries has been confirmed, it is also optionally signed by the representatives of the candidates and one of the assistants sends the results by facsimile to the general registrar of Archdiocesan elections and returns to deliver the count sheet together with the proof of its valid dispatch to the presiding officer.

In Nicosia a total of 199 polling stations will operate, with 136 in Paphos, 121 in Larnaca (Kiti), seven in Kyrenia, 253 in Limassol, 45 in Morphou, 50 in Constantia-Famagusta, four in Kykkos-Tylliria, 74 in Tamassos, and 53 in Trimithounda-Lefkara.

Where people should vote in can be found at https://poupsifizis.cy.net/.

The six candidates for the elections are bishops of Limassol Athanasios, Paphos Georgios, Constantia-Famagusta Vasilios, Tamassos Isaias, Morphou Neofytos, and Kyrenia Chrysostomos.

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