Charalambides says TV host was 'biased'

Alma candidate for the May 24 parliamentary elections Maria Theristi has slammed Irene Charalambides and Nikoletta Tsikkini for remarks they made towards journalists, with Charalambides defending her reaction by saying the TV programme host was biased.

In a post, Theristi said that, according to European Court of Human Rights case law, politicians are obliged to tolerate even the most scathing criticism.

“Attacks against journalists are not part of political culture” and neither are “lectures to journalists”, Theristi pointed out.

Theristi, who is a candidate in Famagusta district, said she was “saddened” by the way Charalambides expressed herself towards journalist Stella Savva during a television programme on Antenna.

She expressed the same sentiments regarding a post by Alma officer Nikoletta Tsikkini, who spoke of “personal interests” regarding journalist Kyriacos Pomilorides.

“I have an additional reason to write the above as a person who has served journalism,” Theristi said.

In the meantime, Theristi turned down an invitation to participate in an Antenna programme due to prior engagements.

“If I am invited again, I wonder how embarrassed I will feel if an officer of my party continues to attack journalists and another candidate continues to lecture them,” Theristi said.

She also pointed out that she would be “happier” if her fellow candidate chose to criticise the president of Disy without resorting to repeatedly mentioning the phrase “talking nonsense”.

Later on Friday, Charalambides posted a response, saying, “I have a right to criticise bias.”

Charalambides said the television programme with Savva “was biased” and that anyone could see for themselves if her “criticism was founded or not”.

“I repeat, none of us who are exposed in the public sphere, politicians and journalists, are above criticism. But freedom of expression is one thing and criticism is another,” Charalambides said.