Christodoulides says ready to work with Disy
President Nikos Christodoulides on Sunday said he was ready to work with Disy as soon as the party deems that this is in the interest of the country.
Speaking to daily Phileleftheros, he said “I myself come from Disy and I have never hidden it and I repeat there is readiness on my part to have such cooperation”.
Christodoulides ran as an independent during the presidential election in February after Disy had already backed party leader Averof Neophytou for the post.
After Christodoulides became president Disy said it would position itself as the opposition.
“This is an untimely and unnecessary invitation, devoid of content, to a party which, by congress decision, is clearly in opposition. The President should show greater respect for Disy,” party MP Demetris Demetriou said on Sunday.
“The slogan of unity is no substitute for a programme of governance. What is the content of the Christodoulides proposal? Which governance programme will DISY be called upon to support? That which six months ago he considered dangerous for the country? If the President has anything to propose, let him do so, publicly and transparently,” he added.
The president of the House of Representatives is the current Disy leader and Christodoulides said “institutionally” they have an “excellent relationship”.
An upcoming change in the boards of semi-government organisations will see appointments made through the Advisory Council, itself not restricted to any parties or backers of Christodoulides, and will not be done according to party politics, he said.
“Among our priorities are the need for good administration, the elimination of favouritism,” he said.
But he added that of course members of Disy would be included in semi-government appointments. The Advisory Council will invite those interested in participating to express interest.
In the same interview, Christodoulides said he considers the positions of his government to be either identical or very close to those of Disy.
But he remained clear that the people would be at the centre of his policies, saying that as they has elected him for something new he would respect that in his five-year plan.
Some issues have already been resolved, he said, such as the cost of living allowance (CoLA) and compensation for those affected by the Akamas plan.
The upcoming budget, the first of his government, he said will also be people centric.
Fiscal discipline and a strong economy are also at the centre of his mission, he said, underlining this by pointing to the withdrawal of a bill that would unfreeze any government post that becomes vacant.
Christodoulides has been criticised since his election for continuing the campaigning as he still appears at such a lot of events, but this was something he was quick to defend.
“I will continue to do so because I want to continue my contact with society. Because I care about people and, by going to all these events, I listen to society and receive its concerns, expectations, and this for me is the most important thing.”
He said as he has no large party backing, the people he is accountable to is society.