President of the Republic Mr. Nikos Christodoulides has attributed various criticisms directed at the Government to the campaign period ahead of the 2026 Parliamentary Elections, stressing that the Government is in no way involved in the electoral campaign and will not engage in it.
In statements to journalists following an event at the old Nicosia Town Hall for Europe Day, and in response to a journalist’s remark that AKEL is calling for the resignation of the Minister of Justice and Public Order over the hunters’ protest, the President of the Republic stated:
“It is the sixth or seventh time that AKEL has called on the Minister of Justice to resign.
I understand—and this is not only aimed at AKEL; I have seen other statements and press releases as well—that the election campaign has begun. We, as the executive branch, do not get involved in the Parliamentary Elections or the campaign period. That is the message. Criticism can be made on a daily basis, but we will not participate in the election campaign.”
He added, “Yes, I made a phone call. Why? Because I was concerned about stopping the suffering endured by the Cypriot people due to the specific protest. Therefore, I will not concern myself with whether I am judged, criticised, or praised. What matters to me is solving problems, and for that reason, yes, I intervened.”
Asked to comment on a related statement by the Attorney General, the President said, “I have seen the Attorney General’s statement, and I have also seen the comments made by the Chief of Police. My message is clear, as it has been in previous instances: Institutions, beyond public statements—which anyone is free to make—have an obligation to find ways to cooperate in the interest of the Cypriot people. That is the duty of every institution, and it is what I expect from each one.”
When asked whether he could have made the phone call from the outset of the protest to resolve the matter more swiftly, the President replied, “That is exactly what I did. As soon as the issue arose, I made the call precisely to end the suffering of the Cypriot people. If I am criticised for making that call to stop the disruption, let the Cypriot people be the judge. I repeat: during the election campaign—and I’ve seen various remarks on this as well—the executive branch, the Government, will not become involved in any way. And rest assured, as we get closer to May 2026, there will be daily announcements, even multiple per day. We will not follow.”
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