The island’s political puzzle remains complex as it is still not clear yet which EU political family the new centrist government of Nikos Christodoulides will join, Philenews reports.
The newly-elected Cyprus President was affiliated with right-wing Disy – a member of the European Peoples’ Party – but had broken ranks and ran as an independent causing strong turmoil within the ex-ruling party. Disy is now officially in opposition.
Asked on Sunday about the hot issue of the participation or not of government ministers in the work of the EPP in view of Disy’s declared objection Christodoulides avoided giving a clear answer.
Unlike Disy’s new leader Annita Demetriou who insisted, on Saturday, that her party is in opposition.
Nonetheless, insiders said there seems to be a desire by both sides not to bring the issue back into public debate and for confrontation to be avoided.
This disagreement between the Presidency and Disy leadership is bound to come up again and the big question is how they will tackle it.
The Presidency wants to have the Disy-affiliated Foreign and Interior Ministers participating in EPP works because of the important portfolios in their hands. One hold the portfolio of the Cyprus problem and foreign policy and the other is tasked with the huge issue of immigration.
These are two issues on which Cyprus needs and seeks help and support from Brussels and therefore the presence of the two ministers in the largest political group of the European Parliament is deemed important.
And despite the position that they do not want the government ministers to participate in the EPP, the Disy leadership cannot ignore the President’s argument.
