Nicos Anastasiades has been elected yesterday as the President of the Republic of Cyprus, with 57.5% of the votes, against 42.52% for Stavros Malas, the left candidate, supported by AKEL, an observer party of the EL.

The Party of the European Left is very concerned about the election of a right-wing president, "man of confidence" of European leaders, at the head of the Republic of Cyprus.

His lack of clear vision concerning the military occupation the northern part of Cyprus by Turkey, his pro-NATO position in a very tense geopolitical area; and his assumed submission to the injunctions of the troika are very serious. After the discovery last year of a major natural gas field, the victory of a right-wing to the service of employers poses a threat to the energy sovereignty of the people of Cyprus and to the economic development of the country.

Stavros Malas achieves a significant result, despite the blackmail of finance ministers of the Eurozone with the "rescue" plan, and the “no voting instructions” position, taken by the social-democrates (EDEK) for the 2nd round. A majority of voters, however, made the choice to vote Malas, which will give force to an opposition which must be strongly mobilized to prevent the looting of Cyprus.

The Party of the European Left salutes the outgoing President, the Communist Demetris Christofias, who did everything, facing the crisis, to protect social rights and the sovereignty of the people of Cyprus.With AKEL, the EL will continue to fight for the rights of the Cypriot citizens in a Europe of peoples, for peace and security in the region, for the reunification of the island.

Party of the European Left
February 25, 2013