Christodoulides, Neophytou: time to move away from bitterness

President-elect Nikos Christodoulides met on Wednesday morning with Disy leader Averof Neophytou at the former’s political office with both saying it was time to turn the page on the bitterness of the election campaign.

The meeting is part of a series of contacts Christodoulides, a former Disy member, is having this week with party leaders and others before forming his new government. Neophytou lost to Christodoulides in the first round of the elections on February 5. The fallout resulted in internal strife within the party and has prompted a race for the Disy leadership.

In statements after Wednesday’s meeting, both men said that despite what went down during the pre-election period, they were united by common approaches to issues of economy and internal governance, as well as the European People’s Party.

Both said they had had a constructive discussions as Christodoulides presented his plans for his new governance. Christodoulides said the elections were over and done and now they must focus on the challenges.

He thanked Neophytou and assured him he would not appoint Disy officials to the new government. He said he and the Disy leader had common approaches to many issues such as a strong and resilient economy, the need to resolve the Cyprus issue and immigration.

“What matters is how we face the challenges and I had the opportunity to explain in detail my own plan as I developed it during the election campaign about the need for us all to work together to face the country’s problems. I think the discussion, the exchange of views was very constructive,” he said.

Neophytou, after congratulating the newly elected president, emphasised Disy would always do what was best for the country.

He told Christodoulides that he could rely on the party for what was needed in parliament to put the country on the right footing in terms of budgets and needed reforms.

Neophytou also confirmed Christodoulides’ request to participate in the European People’s Party summit. “If you wish to be in this family, we [Disy] as a founding member will have no objection,” he said.

Neophytou said there were no bad feelings due to the bitter election campaign, and he said he welcomed the pledge by Christodoulides not to disturb the party’s internal balance by appointing someone to the new government. Disy, he added, wanted to become the “responsible opposition”.

“Those bad feelings are over. We made mistakes, we are human beings, we apologise and learn from our mistakes in order to look ahead,” he said.

He urged Christodoulides to have as his main concern the creation of a better Cyprus.

“Stay focused on the big ones, on the national problem, which is an open wound, on a strong economy,” he said.

Addressing media questions, Christodoulides urged caution about rushing to name names for his new government.

“They will be announced as we get closer to the date of the official assumption of office,” he said. March 1 is the official handover of power.

Christodoulides said he had made up his mind in some cases, but everything was still at the stage of exchanging information and views, he said.

“Close to the date of assumption of duties, the relevant announcements will be made,” he added, stressing that the goal is one – the good of the country. “What I said before the election, we will put into practice after the election,” he said.

He hinted that his approach would be to form a government made up of people with technocratic training and an understanding of political life.

“At the end of the day this is the programme with which we have been elected and which we will be called upon to implement,” he concluded.

The results of the presidential elections have left both of the main parties, Disy and left-wing Akel in opposition. Christodoulides also met Akel leader Stefanos Stefanou on Wednesday.