Eliades withdraws from presidential race

Independent presidential candidate Marios Eliades has pulled out of the running for the country’s top post, 14 months after announcing his candidacy.

In an announcement on Monday, he said he was stepping out of the race for president, after failing to secure a consensus between political forces, candidates and members of the public, who shared similar goals, fears and concerns.

“Unfortunately, yet again, party interests, ideologies and personal ambitions were placed above the public and national interest,” he said.

“Parties as well as presidential candidates, who share concerns with me, have remained attached to their initial plans, not caring if they are dead ends and most likely doomed to electoral failure.”

Eliades said he felt his conscience was clear because he had done as much as he could to help the country “in this critical and crucial moment. I’m not a party man to tell those who believed in me how to behave on February 5 when it’s their turn to vote.”

He said he would exercise his right to vote as abstaining “is an anathema to our democracy”.

Eliades did not specify who he would support but said the new president should be proven to be honest, not corrupt and a progressive individual.

The future president should be faithful to society’s demands for change, concerned with social and environmental issues and able to handle the Cyprus problem “which for me is no other path than a federation”.

Eliades had been part of efforts with other independent presidential candidates to field a joint candidate, which failed.

He had been firmly allied to Edek until it became nationalistic – in his words, and served as transport minister between 1978-1980.