Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 00-04-29

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cyprus-mail.com/>

Saturday, April 29, 2000

CONTENTS

[01] Blow to Akel as deputy turns independent

[02] Running battle over ‘special treatment’ for Kyprianou

[03] ‘Crucified by the modern-day Pharisees’

[04] Politics dominate Easter messages

[05] Three killed in road accidents

[01] Blow to Akel as deputy turns independent

THERE was bad news for main opposition party Akel yesterday, with one of its deputies announcing he was jumping ship to become an independent.

In a letter sent to House President Spyros Kyprianou on Thursday and made public yesterday, Nicosia deputy Andreas Philippou said he was leaving the left-wing party for "political and ideological reasons."

Philippou did not explain his reasons further in the letter and could not be contacted for comment yesterday.

The deputy does note in his letter that he was never a member of the original Akel party and only came on board after the party merged with smaller left-wing groups to become Akel-New Forces before the 1996 parliamentary elections.

Philippou is not abandoning his House seat, and will remain in parliament as an independent deputy, despite having been elected on an Akel ticket in 1996.

This loss of a seat is bound to have irked Akel, as it reduces the party to 18 seats to governing Disy's 21 in the 56-member House. Right-wing Disy will still not enjoy a majority in the House, as Diko's nine deputies and the Social democrats’ five are also in opposition.

Nonetheless, Akel yesterday appeared keen to keep Philippou on side, issuing an announcement which stressed that the parting of ways had been anything but acrimonious and that Philippou was still a "friend" of Akel- New Forces.

The party announcement stated that Akel leader Demetris Christofias was certain Philippou would continue to "support" Akel "efforts" both within and outside parliament.

Philippou met with Christofias to hand him a copy of his withdrawal letter yesterday.

Christofias was "sorry" to see Philippou go and had tried to get him to re- consider, but to no avail, the Akel statement added.

Philippou, according to Akel, reassured Christofias he would remain a "friend" of the party.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 2000

Saturday, April 29, 2000

[02] Running battle over ‘special treatment’ for Kyprianou

Sixty-eight-year-old Kyprianou has only been back in the saddle of his official duties for a matter of weeks after undergoing emergency heart- surgery in London earlier this year.

Nonetheless, according to Alithia newspaper, Sunday's arrangements were yet another example of government officials taking advantage of their position to secure "special" treatment at taxpayers’ expense.

Diko doesn't see it quite like that, insisting the two Nicosia General Hospital physicians had volunteered to accompany Kyprianou on their day off, out of friendly concern for his well-being.

Diko and Alithia have been trading barbs over the issue in the newspaper's editorial column all week.

Last Sunday, Kyprianou travelled down to Peristerona village, in the Paphos district, to inaugurate the headquarters of the new Arsinoe diocese and a Museum of Byzantine art. Kyprianou had been invited to do so by the Bishop of Paphos, Chrysostomos, who, as Alithia pointed out, had excused not inviting Archbishop Chrysostomos to the same events by saying he did not want to risk the church leader's "frail health."

In his Tuesday column, Alithia editor Alecos Constantinides wondered why Kyprianou, a recovering heart-patient, had to be the one to go down to Peristerona, taking two government doctors with him.

"Could not another government dignitary have done the job?" Constantinides asked. "There are hundreds in this banana republic whose only ability is to inaugurate things," he added.

"But the real scandal is the ease with which our government officials can use government doctors as their personal physicians both at home and abroad, " the Alithia editor stated. Constantinides pointed out that a senior government doctor had accompanied Kyprianou to London for his emergency heart surgery earlier this year and had stayed with him there for a month.

The editorial brought a swift response from Diko, which was published by Alithia the following day.

Party executive office member Christos Mesis attacked Constantinides, claiming his column had been motivated solely by "antipathy" for Kyprianou.

"In his haste to once again attack Mr. Kyprianou, Constantinides did not even make the effort to find out the true facts," Mesis charged.

The Diko man said two doctors who accompanied the Diko leader on Sunday "had themselves offered to accompany him out of friendly interest and respect for Mr Kyprianou and without their work at the Nicosia General hospital being affected in the slightest."

The doctors had given up their Sunday off to go with Kyprianou, Mesis insisted.

Constantinides responded by saying he wished doctors would show the same "friendly concern" to average citizens.

Yesterday, Alithia took another swipe at Kyprianou, publishing, in Constantinides’ column, a reader's letter attacking top officials' use of the government health service.

Why should government doctors be called upon to act as "personal physicians" for Kyprianou or any other official with the taxpayer footing the bill, the reader asked.

The reader attacked Kyprianou and other officials for taking top state doctors with them when they travelled abroad for treatment, depriving other "lesser" patients in Cyprus of the continued supervision of the absentee expert.

Akel leader Demetris Christofias and Archbishop Chrysostomos are cited as other officials to have recently taken advantage of their position in this way.

The state almost invariably foots the bill for public officials' medical treatment abroad.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail

Saturday, April 29, 2000

[03] ‘Crucified by the modern-day Pharisees’

LIKE Christ on Golgotha, the people of Cyprus continue to suffer a Calvary of persecution in their struggle for freedom from Turkish occupation, Archbishop Chrysostomos has said in his Easter message.

"This happy day of the resurrection unfortunately this year once again sees our people continuing on the path of Golgotha. The call that ‘Christ is risen’ will once again not be heard in our enslaved towns and villages. The ‘high priests’ of unfairness, the modern day Pharisees still plot and conspire against our people. They continue to… maintain the ongoing crucifixion of justice and freedom in our land."

Archbishop Chrysostomos went on to say that others, "who say they have been illuminated by our Greek Christian civilisation, ignorant and ungrateful for everything we have offered, and just like the mob of Judeans against Christ, are calling for the crucifixion of Hellenism and the acquittal of the thief…

"Our soul is pained and saddened by the unfairness, rape, deceit, ingratitude and abandonment. Alone, abandoned and alone, we lift the cross of our burden and continue the uphill journey to Golgotha."

But the Archbishop called on his flock not to bow their heads: "Let us not allow the weight of the cross to crush us, the Lord loves his children. Let us not allow our defeat and desperation to lead us to a fatalistic acceptance of injustice. Let not the indifference and hypocrisy of the modern day Pontius Pilates weaken our resistance, they who believe they define how things on earth occur. Let us not forget that above the powerful of this world is the fair and just God, who knows how to crush the arrogant and enforce justice for those who were wronged. He who loves and blesses all who fight for justice is here."

Chrysostomos said Christ's resurrection confirmed that life was more powerful than death. "Light is stronger than darkness. Righteousness is stronger than unfairness."

"With this belief, let all the faithful continue on our torturous path and carry out our struggle, looking to the resurrection. No compromises with injustice. No betrayal of honour. No passive acceptance of the crucifixion. But on Golgotha we must stand tall, not on our knees, with our souls fighting for the resurrection to come. And resurrection will come only if we believe and if united we fight for it, if we all cast off the lethargy that has sunk us," he said.

"The Resurrection is today. Greek of Cyprus: in the celebrations and in joy, let your thoughts turn to the enslaved part of our land. Think of our churches there, dumb and plunged in darkness, ruined and desecrated. Think of our enslaved towns and villages, streets, houses, gardens and our memorials, and let the tears of nostalgia run down your cheeks, receive their voice and their memory into your souls."

The Archbishop said that it was the obligation of every Greek Cypriot to fight for the liberation of his country: "Let us always keep this message alive within us... so that all Cypriots - Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots - can return to their homes safely and freely."

© Copyright Cyprus Mail

Saturday, April 29, 2000

[04] Politics dominate Easter messages

Governing Disy said Cypriot Hellenism was preparing to celebrate Easter "with the deep faith that after Golgotha comes the resurrection."

The essence of the Disy message was that Easter teaches us that though the Turks might be occupying half the island today, Cypriot Hellenism will eventually win the day.

"These days remind us intensely that the historic course of Christianity and Hellenism are inseparable. Suffering and crucifixion are always followed by the joyous message of the resurrection of the nation and Christianity," the right-wing party stated.

For main opposition party Akel, Easter was the "feast of hope."

"Our homeland has for 26 years now been walking the path of its own trials, " the left-wing party stated.

"However negative things might be, we must never give up hope, and more importantly the desire and struggle, for justice for Cyprus and its people, " Akel stated.

The United Democrats linked Easter not just to the Cyprus problem but to EU accession as well. "For Cyprus, Easter symbolises the hour of re- unification and freedom from occupation troops and the hope for a peaceful and happy future in the European Union," a party message read.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail

Saturday, April 29, 2000

[05] Three killed in road accidents

The first accident happened just after 10pm when a car collided with a motorcycle as it tried to turn into Kolonaki Street.

The motorcyclist, Costakis Georgiou Tournas, 41, a shopkeeper from Limassol, was taken to Limassol General Hospital with severe injuries. He died an hour later.

The driver of the car was arrested.

The second accident happened later the same night at 11pm on the Limassol to Platres road.

A car heading from Platres towards Limassol collided with an electricity pole on the left of the road, near Moniatis.

Two passengers - a male and a female Russian tourist - were flung from the car and killed instantly. The car was driven by a Russian businessman who is permanently resident in Cyprus. He was seriously injured and remains critically ill in hospital. Two other female passengers were also hurt.

The police could not release their names, as the families had not been notified yet.

The crash happened near the spot where a mini-bus smashed into a concrete barrier on a sharp bend in the road on January 30, killing six people.

The spot is known locally as ‘Death bend’. Since 1983, 18 people have lost their lives at the same turn.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail

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