Tales from the Coffeeshop: Battle lines already drawn for the top job

THERE are still two-and-a-half years for the presidential elections but the scheming and plotting by rival blocks has already started.

It was therefore no surprise to see an article by Phil’s presidential scribe, Bimbishis noting that the calls “for an alliance of the forces of the centre-right and the traditional right” are becoming stronger. He cited two interviews published on consecutive Sundays “sending messages for the need of cooperation”.

First Disy’s Harris Georgiades told Kathimerini that a “rampart must be created against populism and the desiccated dogmatism of the Left.” There was a need to cooperate and keep the country on a steady path of economic development and security, said Harris in wonderland where he will stop populism through an alliance with the centre-right arch-populists of Diko and Dipa.

The following week, Diko’s brainy deputy Chrysis Pantelides said more or less the same thing in an interview he gave Phil. “It is with these parties that there is mutual understanding on the main issues of modern Cyprus society and public life,” he said, referring to the mixed economy and free market. Unlike Harris, he did not want to block populism.

And for the presidential scribe, Prezita Annita had all but excluded herself as a possible candidate of this mighty alliance, as in a recent discussion in the House about the fires she spoke rather aggressively to the leaders of Diko and Dipa.

PREZNIKTWO wasted no time in grabbing the opportunity to present himself as the obvious candidate of this alliance of the right and centre-right.

In an interview on Plus TV on Monday night, sensing there was an opening for him he christened himself an ideologue. While internationally the prevailing view was that ideologies did not exist, the prez said he was bucking the trend.

“Our administration has a clear (xekatharo) ideological orientation, that determines the policies we implement and the policies we pursue,” he said, fooling all of us who naively thought that it was re-election that determined his policies rather than ideology. He is a principled ideologue after all, even though he may have fooled some of us.

And now that a Diko-Dipa-Disy alliance against populism is being shaped, it can only be led by the one true ideologue of the centre-right – Prezniktwo, who will also be the ideal presidential candidate of this alliance, now that the Prezita has hurt the feelings of the other centre-right ideologues, Junior and Garoyian.

THE IDEOLOGUE Prez has offered his leadership to this future alliance, but the word is that Harris and Chrysis has another candidate in mind – the former mayor of Nicosia Constantinos Yiorkadjis and currently head of the Nicosia EOA.

Yiorkadjs, the half-brother of Diko chief Junior, was twice elected mayor with Disy votes and any alliance between the two parties would have him as its presidential candidate. His bro had already stood unsuccessfully, so now it is the turn of Yiorkadjis who is more likeable and therefore more electable.

This is said to be the plan of the Papadopoulos family matriarch, Fotini, who played an instrumental role in Diko’s decision to back Nik II in the last elections. Now, though it is the turn of her boy and she is working for a Diko-Disy alliance to make his election possible.

That Chrysis, who had always been extremely loyal to the late Ethnarch and Fotini, brought up the need for an alliance is not a coincidence. Harris in wonderland is probably in on the plan, seeing this as the only way to revive his stalled political career.

UNDER its new ownership, Phil has become an incredibly zealous supporter of Prezniktwo to whom it has been giving the Makarios treatment. Not only is its presidential scribe carrying gushing reports about his achievements, but another hack has negative daily reports about Disy which is seen as a threat to the paper’s hero.

This slavish support of the Prez is very bad news for another presidential hopeful – the incorruptible Odysseas, who until recently had been generously hero-worshipped by the paper which gave him extensive coverage whenever he opened his mouth or issued an announcement. This is no longer happening.

When a few days ago, Odysseas’ political vehicle, Alma released its charter and the names of the members of its Transitional Executive Secretariat (sounds very communist), its importance was downplayed by the paper. Not that this was anything of great importance, but in the good old days it would have been given much greater prominence by the paper.

Without Phil’s rampant hero-worshipping, Odysseas political prospects do not look very promising.

THE PREZITA Annita might have been publicly reprimanded by Nik I a few weeks ago, for distancing Disy from the achievements of his 10-year golden rule, but she has been vindicated.

Last week we heard that two projects undertaken by Nik’s shabby presidency were being investigated by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in connection with a host of shady dealings, including mismanagement of EU funds. Politicians and state officials have reportedly had their bank accounts accessed by the EPPO.

Imagine how stupid the Prezita would have looked if she had obeyed Nik’s orders and started praising his disreputable government and its achievements – the EuroAsia Interconnector and the Vassiliko LNG terminal – that are now being investigated by the EPPO. Perhaps she should have praised his successful marketing of EU citizenship via his goose that laid the golden passports.

Under the circumstances distancing herself and Disy from Nik was the kindest thing Prezita could have done to him. A tougher politician would have expelled him from Disy and prohibited the mention of his name in connection with the party.

BITTER Nik, however, appears to have kissed and made up with his protégé in the presidential palace after a period of strained relations. Some 10 days ago, he visited Nik II at the presidential palace and they were even photographed together.

A little later the same day, addressing the gathering of expats in Nicosia in the presence of his mentor, Nik II said he was very happy, and spoke proudly about being a member of Nik I’s government.

It was the first time he had spoken so fondly about belonging to the ex’s government, but the cause of his happiness was not a sense of nostalgia. The gossip was that at the meeting at the palace earlier, Nik I told him that he would back his candidacy and use his influence in Disy to win votes for the centre-right ideologue.

The Prezita had to be punished for her disloyalty, disobedience and not having an ideology.

ON THURSDAY there will be a universal, three-hour work stoppage because unions and employers’ organisation cannot agree on the future form of CoLA. Union bosses want it fully restored (from 67 per cent of its value to 100 per cent) something not even the government and its communist labour minister are prepared to accept.

All proposals made by the government and employers have been rejected by the maximalist union bosses who are as intransigent as Turks. The most hard-line union boss is Sek’s Andreas Matsas, who believes he has been deceived by Prezniktwo.

Before the elections, when he was pandering to Sek for its votes, Nik II promised Matsas the full restoration of CoLA, if he was elected. This was probably the main reason why Sek publicly backed his candidacy. So now Sek wants CoLA at 100 per cent as was promised, and will not budge.

Obviously the full restoration of CoLA is not compatible with the government’s clear ideological orientation.

A CUSTOMER who was on holiday in Pomos brought us some truly wonderful Paphos mangos, which are infinitely superior to those imported. Sadly, the mango season is extremely short and the joy of consuming the fruit is restricted to just a few weeks.

Mangos are probably the greatest thing produced by the Paphos district. If the quality of the politicians it produces was anywhere near that of its mangos Kyproulla would have been a much happier place.