REPORTERNET.COM

Rumour is rife that incumbent President Demitris Christofias will put his name forward for re-election next year, despite having lost the support of many citizens and colleagues after the Mari blast.

According to a source close to the ruling AKEL party, Christofias is expected to leave the announcement until the last minute.

Christofias is said to have been spurred by the recent gas find and the decision that no charges will be brought against him in relation to the Mari blast.

Yesterday, the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu said he was “certain” Christofias would stand for re-election and even claimed he was trying to secure the support of parties such as DIKO, EDEK and DISY.

Even if Christofias decides to throw down the gauntlet at the last possible moment, he will face a mammoth struggle to gain support from opposition parties.

In November a majority of MPs in parliament demanded Christofias quit in the aftermath of the Mari explosion in July that killed 13 people, including the chief of the navy.

The Plenary of the House of Representatives, which is dominated by opposition parties, approved by majority the resolution calling on Christofias to step down, declaring: “the president must rise to the occasion and with his voluntary resignation contribute to the creation of the desired conditions so that the country and the people can overcome problems.”

However, the crescendo of calls for Christofias to quit appears to have made him determined to stay on according to commentators, most of whom predicted that the 66-year-old communist would remain in office until the end of his term next year.

Along with poor approval ratings, the president's greatest immediate threat comes from Nicos Anastasiades of the DISY party, who said he would be standing in the presidential race.

In 2010 Christofias said he would not seek re-election in 2013 if a peace deal with the Turkish Cypriots was not reached. “I will not seek a second term if there is no solution to the Cyprus problem by the end of my presidency,” Christofias told a news conference.


(source; www.famagusta-gazette.com)