Averof Neophytou at the political and ideological conference of DISY – Frontal attack on AKEL, DIKO and glove references to Nikos Christodoulidis

Because, the more they challenge us, the more they unite us.

They make us so much stronger.

Because they know:

That the Democratic Alarm is the guarantee of security, stability and prosperity of our country .

It is the compass of our homeland.

We have proved it for the last nine years, under the government of Nikos Anastasiadis.

of the AKEL government & # 8211; DIKO.

And you have successfully managed two global crises.

An economic and a health one.

You gave us a way out and a perspective on the most difficult period in our history after 74.

Thank you President .

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The Democratic Alarm has written with you a new story of victory for the collective good.

Friends,

Next time,

In a time of turmoil, uncertainty and rapid change,
our country needs the Democratic Alarm again.

Because it needs a compass.

Clear direction.

Fixed line.

And the direction of the country is here, symbolically, in the first row:

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Cyprus.

Greece.

Europe!

Cyprus is our homeland, Greece is our heart and Europe is our our future.

First of all, a Cyprus that will continue to be credible.

With strong regional peace cooperation.

Honoring its history and its alliances.

Who knows who she is and where she wants to go.

Operates on principles.

Does not hide.

Does not turn a blind eye to intruders.

Does not shy away from taking a stand.

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He does not step on two boats.

And firmly next to us a strong Greece .

Mr. Prime Minister, dear friend Kyriakos,

Your presence gives us strength. Confidence and optimism.

With you at the helm, Greece is a reliable, strong country.

Seeking cooperation.

But it does not succumb to the threat.

You fought against the weather.

And the You have succeeded.

Thanks to you, Greece is entering a new, virtuous cycle of development and respect.

Greek men and women are regaining their dignity.

And they are circulating again with their heads held high.

The Democratic Alarm, the Greeks of Cyprus,
we greet you with appreciation and admiration.

Because when Greece is strong, we share the pride.

As we felt in your historic speech.

When the Congress stood up, it adored you!

Yes, this Greece makes us proud.

When the Greece is strong, Cyprus is just as strong .

And at the same time: when Cyprus is credible, it makes Greece's goals easier.

Cyprus and Greece are today an axis of peace and security.

Democracy and cooperation.

On the borders of Southeastern Europe. From Evros to Cape Greco.

For the purpose of mutually beneficial cooperation of all countries in the region.

Zero exceptions. And Turkey, if it so wishes.

But with a strict condition:

Respect for the sovereignty and integrity of each country, and international law.

Thanks to the vision and strategy of our founder Glafkos Clerides.

(Report to Katie)

It is the development and upgrading living standards.

Social protection.

The GESY. The Minimum Guaranteed Income.

The Recovery and Resilience Fund.

It is the bold reforms that loosen the hands of the people.

And make their lives easier .

The Democratic Alarm is all of you
who came to our pre-conference dialogue.

In every corner of our free homeland.

For to hear. To assist. Discuss.

And to suggest ideas and practical solutions for the next day of our Cyprus.

This is how we write our political and pre-election programs.

Openly. Massively.

And democratically.

We draw on the vast reservoir of our experience and ideas.

In this fluid and uncertain environment, we are opening a new one today chapter.

We formulate the ideas and the program that will ensure the next day of Cyprus.

And as always, we choose to be useful and beneficial in the homeland.

Citizens have gone and learned.

Because, you know, easy and big words are
hollow words.

Deceptive.

Where , almost always end up in danger. And disasters.

The citizen does not need easy and big words.

He needs to be protected from dangers.

He needs a modern and reliable state that serves him.

This has always been my position.

Even if I go against the flow.

Because our proposal, friends,

stands against populism that destroys countries economically.

And pseudo-patriotism leading to national adventures.

We stand against the demagogy of apolitics and lifestyle.

Our proposal follows the path of responsibility, as the history of the Democratic Alarm advocates.

The patriotic realism of Glafkos Clerides guides us:

And for our foreign policy.

And for our national issue.

But also for internal governance. < In economics, slogans are easy.

< strong> Unified economy and central utilization of natural resources.

With the solution, let all the countries of our neighborhood enter the energy equation.

Not excluding Turkey.

Arrives with taboos:

Cyprus to join NATO!

This is the only way to a safe, united and European Cyprus.

Friends,

Security is not a given.

Stability is not a given.

Growth is not a given.

Just a spark is enough to brings fire.

Amateurism and improvisation do not fit.

We need the right people and strong hands.

In the Democratic Alarm we know from crises.

How to manage them.

How to overcome them.

How to overthrow them and create opportunities for our country.

In a few months, citizens will choose if we will move forward.

Or if we will go back.

Forward, with a serious and credible Cyprus.

< strong> The power of us all.

Together.

Together for unity.

Together for victory.

Together with our young people.

Together for the best Cyprus that we deserve.

Thank you.

& # 8212; & # 8212; & # 8212; & # 8212; & # 8212; & # 8212; & # 8212; & # 8212; & # 8212; & # 8212; & # 8212; & # 8212; & # 8212; & # 8212; & # 8212; & # 8212;

Speech of the President of the Republic Mr. Nikos Anastasiadis at the political-ideological conference of DISY:

Mr. Prime Minister of Greece, dear Kyriakos,

Dude, President of the European People's Party, Manfred

My dear Stella,

My dear colleague, competitor President of DISY

Our faction is big and our Cyprus is bigger.

I feel emotion, I feel excitement, I feel proud when addressing leaders and old competitors. Executives and competitors we met at the same starting point, friends and competitors who thickened the ranks of the faction along the way.

In two weeks we celebrate the 46th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Alarm, the great faction founded by our political father Glafkos Clerides. of our country.

Of the faction that led a semi-occupied homeland from isolation, to the large European family.

The party that managed the most difficult crises with exemplary and absolute success, maintaining economic and political stability and a sense of security among the citizens.

immature political system, a system that wanted us outside power structures.

What I am not allowed to omit, however, is to remind you that since 1981 we have consistently been the leading political force. The power of responsibility, prudence, modern ideological tendencies, without entanglements or dogmas.

The faction that never calculated political costs, for the national good.

That is why the people trusted us to govern the country for 20 years.

And at this point I want to call on you not to forget that much more today, Glafkos Clerides, the leader who three months ago had included Cyprus in Europe, lost the elections in 2003 as a result of ambitions that led to its disintegration and loss. power, with what followed for a decade until we took power again.

in 2013 with the then leadership of the Democratic Party, the people to give us again the strong mandate of governing the country.

A strong mandate that was renewed in 2018 with only partisan support that of the Democratic Alarm and of course the majority of citizens who recognized that economic stability and growth, labor peace, support for businesses, workers, vulnerable groups, development projects , the modernization of important state structures was only the result of a decisive and progressive government.

I want you to be proud of what we have achieved during the years of governing the country by the Democratic Alarm. Be proud, because we must not forget that when we came to power, the country was in the last stage before the bankruptcy.

Cash was limited to the needs of the state for only a month.

The international rating agencies, after 22 downgrades of the Cypriot economy, classified Cyprus in the investment category “garbage”, and therefore the possibility of government borrowing was zero.

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Unemployment had reached 17%, while social groceries were equal to the number of common groceries.

Be proud friends, because thanks to determination, bold decisions of responsibility, with warm and strong support of the Democratic Alarm, we turned the crisis into an opportunity by achieving:

(a) Our exit from the strict monitoring of the memorandum in 2016, much earlier than everyone predicted. Do not forget that there were some who talked about a second and third memorandum. We have proved that we are the leaders who can face the crisis and meet the responsibility we have taken on.

(b) We have brought the country back to the investment stage.

(c) We reduced unemployment from 17% to 6%, achieving full employment conditions before the pandemic.

(d) We recorded growth rates that reached before the pandemic in 4.5%.

(e) Thanks to the support measures of our vulnerable fellow citizens, we have closed down social grocery stores.

(f) Through a prudent fiscal policy, we have achieved balanced budgets and significant primary surpluses, without any new tax burden.

(g) We restored the ATA and the maternity allowance that was abolished before taking power, which was abolished by those who today seek to restore what they abolished.

(h) We restored the provident funds of 75% of employees.

(i) We have instituted the Pension Fund for Newly Entered Civil and Semi-Public Sector Employees, who have been deprived of it since 2011.

(j) We abolished the Extraordinary Contribution of Civil Servants and the Real Estate Tax. Where others imposed taxes we abolished. This was the effort for the country to recover.

Thanks to the consistent fiscal policy, the perfect health system and the strict health protection measures of the population, we were able to deal again successfully and the second great challenge, the unprecedented crisis of the pandemic that struck humanity in 2020.

With the decisions we made we saved lives, we supported the economy, businesses, employees, jobs and of course the vulnerable groups of the population.

I will just say how about the plans To support the economy and protect citizens from the pandemic, the state has allocated € 3.6 billion.

Let me also point out that in 2021 growth reached 5.7%. Above the European Union average, while unemployment remained at pre-pandemic levels.

And because my own citation can be considered subjective, let me tell you verbatim what the International Monetary Fund's report on June 1, 2022, on managing the crisis caused by the pandemic:

“Cyprus made a strong recovery in 2021 thanks to the successful management of the pandemic and the significant support of the State… The economy returned to pre-pandemic level and unemployment fell”.

This is the DISY Government that some are calling for a speedy change.

We are called today to face a new global economic crisis as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

< p class = "x_MsoNormal"> I want to assure you that the Government and the Democratic Alarm will govern with the same responsibility, so that the management of the current crisis is successful.

We are aware of the problems that citizens face as a result of inflation and rising prices for vital goods. of the state budget, we will take as many other measures as necessary to support businesses, employees and especially the vulnerable groups of our fellow citizens.

I am sure we would be much more pleased if we adopted the well-deserved proposals of the opposition parties which, if listened to, would give a temporary relief, but would lead to the collapse of what has been achieved through the sacrifices of the people.

It would be eight months before the end of my term for an easy answer. However I want to be clear:

I do not want and will not accept to hand over, especially to my friend Averoff, a state in the state of the state I received. I will not lead the country to bankruptcy thanks to auspicious slogans. This is where leaders are called to take responsibility, to pay political costs, but also to save in the long run the conquests of the people and the well-meaning interest of the country.

We have proved friends, the determination and sense of responsibility with which we dealt with previous crises.

We will deal with the present with the same effectiveness.

I want you to be proud not only of the economic achievements of our government, but also of the adoption of bold structural reforms, thus effectively tackling the timeless pathogens and anchors to which the state has remained stuck in times past.

Be proud that your Government has proceeded with the reconstruction and modernization of the state through a series of reforms, as I just mention:

(a) The amendment of the Constitution so that the five-year term of office of the respective President is limited to two. And this to stop hegemonic tendencies. To create the conditions for a change of power and not for you to stay, which often leads to arbitrariness.

(b) further promoting development policies by area of ​​responsibility.

(c) The Local Government Reform that has been the subject of debate for decades.

(d) While within the same framework we implement the program for digital transformation of the country, with expenditures that so far exceed 90 million and for the completion of which expenditures of 350 million Euros have been launched.

(e) The Reform of the Public Service, for a more orderly operation of the state, but also to ensure the meritocratic development of capable civil servants.

(f) The introduction of the new, modern and meritocratic Appointment System in Education, with the introduction of examinations, so that there is no Appointment Yearbook and the oldest and not the most capable are appointed. This is how you contribute to Education.

Be proud because we have built a welfare state, which really helps the needs of all citizens, but especially those in need of state care and protection.

Be proud because after decades promises, the Government of DISY implemented the General Health System.

Feel proud that the Government of the Democratic Alarm has created the strong network of protection of the needy by institutionalizing:

< p class = "x_MsoNormal"> (a) Minimum Guaranteed Income

(b) Ensuring the minimum guaranteed pension, so that no pensioner lives below the poverty line. Remind me that the single pensioner who has a pension below the poverty line? gets 710 euros while for the couple the minimum is 1210 euros.

Not to mention a host of other measures such as the institutionalization of paternity leave, but also widowhood for men, the extension of maternity leave, which also covers the surrogate mother, the introduction of paternity refugees, the integrated policy framework for individuals with disabilities, the early retirement of thalassaemics, the creation of shelters for women victims of violence, abused children and people with disabilities.

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A vision that would not have come true without the assistance of my late friend and colleague Zeta Aimilianidou.

Be proud that the Government has promoted the reform concerning the modernization and acceleration of the justice system, which I expect to be completed before the summer recess of the Parliament. And this is due solely to the political will of the political parties, especially to the politics of the opposition.

We have created strong institutions to prevent corruption, introducing the horizontal anti-corruption action plan which, among other things, includes 52 actions, including the establishment of the Independent Authority against Corruption, witness protection, the establishment of internal control units, and in order to deal with money laundering, we have removed the anonymity of real beneficiaries in companies.

There was a lot of noise about corruption. I do not want to comment further. Suffice it to ask who was involved in showing Al Jazeera video, let them ask lawyers, accountants, let them ask land development entrepreneurs if and how much the program contributed to the economic development of the place. At the same time, however, I do not ignore and I publicly apologized because some people abused gaps and weaknesses. But this did not allow and does not allow anyone to think that by muddying he will gain political points. The results of last year's elections in May gave very clear answers from the people for those who believed that they could be abused or distorted facts, in order to benefit through the mudslinging.

History will judge them and the truth will emerge as it emerged from the investigations that were immediately ordered.

Be proud of the upgrade of the National Guard which, with the recruitment of 3,500 contracted hoplites, has become a flexible semi-professional army, while reducing the term of our young recruits to 14 months.

To you are proud because we did not ignore the housing needs of young people. Through the policies we have adopted, young and disadvantaged people now have equal access to quality and affordable housing.

Nor did we ignore the need to support the people of the countryside and the mountain communities. With specific programs and amounts. In addition, we have designed and implemented the National Strategy for the Development of Mountain Communities, which provides for the implementation of 350 actions with a total budget of 525 million.

and women entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises.

At the same time we did not fail to stand as helpers, supporting our farmers and stockbreeders, with sponsorship plans amounting to 750 million Euros or support with compensations in an amount that exceeds 150 Million Euros.

The dangers that our country faces did not allow the defense spending to be ignored and I want to assure you that I am very satisfied and you should be very proud because through the shielding and deterrence support programs I note, we have significantly strengthened the National Guard of the country, without wanting to make a more specific report, since you know how sensitive the issue is.

What I want to tell you is that one thing is to increase deterrence due to threats and another is what you are seeking.

We have sought and continue to seek dialogue for a peaceful, sustainable and workable solution. We sought and succeeded in the dialogue and in 2017 we came a little closer to a solution. If we did not achieve this, it was not due to our own responsibilities, but to the responsibilities of Turkey as recorded in the published UN minutes, but also due to the insistence to insist on the anachronistic system of guarantees and maintenance permanently in our homeland of the occupying army. p>

Turkey's intentions are confirmed by the recent announcements of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where by presenting a number of maps, they showed the timeless review attitude of Ankara. I do not want to add anything more than that, but to say that until the last moment of my presence in the presidency I will not stop fighting for our country to be liberated from occupation, to be reunited with full respect for the rights of all Greek Cypriot citizens. and Turkish Cypriots.

We never thought of usurping the rights of our compatriots. Others are usurping the land of our ancestors.

I wish the support of Europe, the support of allies and friends to be so determined to see the behavior of a neighboring country that unfortunately raises concerns for peace and stability in the region.

I want you to be just as proud, because despite the crises we have faced, since 2015, we are implementing the largest development program ever in the Republic of Cyprus. A program that exceeds five billion Euros. We are talking about the size of the Republic of Cyprus. The five billion for large countries may not mean much, but for the size of the Republic of Cyprus and the economy are significant amounts.

We have literally turned Cyprus into a large construction site, which transforms the daily cities, rural communities, mountainous areas.

Important projects that had been planned for decades contribute in this direction, such as the Limassol-Saitta, Paphos-Polis, Nicosia-Paleochori, Astromeriti-Evrychos road, and the Nicosia perimeter highway, whether they are under construction or on the verge of collapse.

I felt the need to make a rough, concise report. It will be detailed when the work of the Government is presented by sector for the decade. the ten years of government.

But I would not be honest if I did not admit, and I emphasize, that during the same period, there were mistakes and omissions which we have publicly acknowledged. And for which we had the courage to resolutely correct.

It's what you should be proud of, because we have never, under any circumstances, been distinguished by the arrogance of the infallible. Because we have always been willing to accept constructive criticism, but also to adopt or correct policies that were not compatible with what we wanted and sought.

Our vision is not limited to today's Cyprus . It is not limited to what we have implemented or are implementing. It extends to a well-thought-out project, with secured funding, with a clear orientation, which, after consultation with the political forces, was approved by the European Commission. A plan that leads the country to the new era.

You are justified to be proud, not only for what we have implemented, but because through the Cyprus & # 8211; Tomorrow, we leave a legacy that marks the largest reform and development intervention since the founding of the Republic of Cyprus, amounting to more than four billion Euros, not counting the annual expenditures provided in the regular budgets.

I would be ignorant if I did not acknowledge that it would never have been possible for us to achieve what my short time allowed me to mention if the Government did not have the creative support of DISY.

I just want to tell you I would like to remind you that since 2014 the Government has had a minority in Parliament. The majority of the parties belonged to the opposition.

That is why if today we feel proud of the work we have done, it is due not only to the Government, but also to the DISY parliamentary group, with a prominent the leading figure of the President of the faction, Averof Neophytos.

A leading figure who, in vital matters, thanks to his leadership talents, managed to achieve consensus and convergence, in order to implement the radical policies that I so proudly mentioned.

Friend Averoff, friends members of the DISY leadership team and members of the DISY Parliamentary Group, thank you for your creative contribution to our common vision, which has become a reality. I feel and I want with my institutional role not to fail to thank the political forces that as a result of the interventions of the leader of the faction agreed and cooperated in order to achieve reforms that otherwise we would not have achieved.

The forthcoming presidential elections pose before the members and friends of DISY, but also of the whole people, an important dilemma:

We will continue the course of development, stability and security of the country, with tried and tested leaders, who can surely ensure the smooth continuation of the successful course we have set, or we will select some who have been adopted by the political forces of the opposition and cause the concern we all have. .

Everyone must be aware that without the mobilization and unity of the party, we will face the tragic phenomena of 2003 .

And I am not willing to cooperate in this direction. and I want to emphasize and underline it: You have turned a deaf ear to what is being said or deliberately spread. For me one is the choice. The choice of the leader of the faction, my capable and experienced collaborator, Averof Neophytos. From today you are all called to work in a way that we know, all to mobilize dear friends, friends who have supported me for decades. I call on you to stand by our side. Do not demolish the house you built. Stand by and support Averof Neophytou. Only in this way will there be security, there will be stability, there will be continuity of preemption.