Christodoulides Optimistic About The Formation Of A Broad Social Acceptance Government

All that we said during the election campaign will be implemented and constitute our contract with the Cypriot people, President-elect Nikos Christodoulides said on Tuesday evening, adding that he is "optimistic that we can achieve the formation of a government of broad social acceptance."

He was speaking at his electoral staff office in Larnaca, which he visited on Tuesday night to thank all the volunteers who worked for his election, and where supporters greeted him with applause. He expressed the hope that he would soon have concrete results and names to announce, noting that announcements would be made closer to the March 1 date.

Christodoulides also said that "the dialogue that we have had all this time will continue during our administration, because this dialogue only has something to offer to us and to society."

Asked by a journalist if the names he is evaluating for his Cabinet may include a person from Larnaca, Christodoulides said that "there will be a presence from all regions of Cyprus based on a basic criterion, namely the ability to serve and work for the implementation of our programme, and I can tell you that in the city of Larnaca there are a number of remarkable men and women who can successfully fulfil these tasks," he added. 

In his speech, Christodoulides said he would be President of all Cypriots. He noted that "from March 1, we are judged every day and we want to be judged every day by the Cypriot people. I want to promise you that everything we mentioned during the election campaign, we will implement. It is our contract with the Cypriot people," he said.

"The second thing that I take away from this election campaign as a very beautiful memory was the fact that all this time all of you opened your homes to me, you welcomed me, we discussed together, you helped me to understand clearly better what the problems are, what are the difficulties, what are your expectations from the governance of the country and I want to promise you today that it is precisely on the basis of the priorities that you have highlighted all this time that we will move from March 1," he added.

Christodoulides continued noting that "with my presence tonight in Larnaca, I want to send a message to all political groups. Today I have had meetings with several political party leaders, tomorrow I will have meetings with the President of the Democratic Rally, Averof Neofytou, with the General Secretary of AKEL, Stefanos Stefanou, and I will continue the meetings in the coming days until February 28, the day I will present myself to the House of Representatives, to put into practice what I really believe will help us to meet your expectations much better, the formation of a government of broad social acceptance."

"An inclusive government, which was something I promised during the election campaign," he said, adding that "by joining forces we can undoubtedly better respond to all that we have to give to Cypriot society. To face all these challenges which are neither of a partisan nature nor of an ideological origin."

Source: CNA