Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 98-01-15

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cynews.com/>

Thursday, January 15, 1998

Edek slams Akel's defamation campaign

REPORTS on comments by presidential candidates and party leaders less than a month before the presidential elections were the main subjects in Wednesday's Greek dailies.

Phileleftheros says that a row has erupted between Edek and Akel with the first accusing the communist party of trying to lure some socialist voters by discrediting Edek leader Vassos Lyssarides.

The paper reports that according to Lyssarides Akel members are spreading the rumour that the socialist leader, through his insistence to be a candidate, is harming his own party.

Akel's leader Demetris Christofias has denied the accusations. The two party leaders had a meeting on Sunday to discuss the accusations.

Simerini carries comments by Diko president Spyros Kyprianou that the party has shown a lot of patience and has given a lot of time to dissidents to change their stance and abide by party decisions.

Party members, including its vice-president Dinos Michaelides and MPs Alexis Galanos and Katerina Pantelidou have disagreed with Diko's decision to back George Iacovou for the presidency.

Kyprianou said that had the party adopted a strict approach people like Galanos would have been thrown out of the party long ago.

Alithia highlights Lyssarides' accusations against some Akel members for below-the-belt strikes.

According to the paper Lyssarides has said that the mud-slinging campaign is mainly directed at his old age.

He said that Akel members warn Edek voters that their leader is too old to still be at the helm of the party.

According to Machi some Akel members have criticised their leader's comments in the House of Representatives on Monday that he doesn't `give a damn' as long as Akel win the elections.

The paper says that these comments have enraged Akel MPs Nicos Katsourides and Doros Christodoulides who have privately criticised their leader. The two MPs believe that Monday's comments before the House plenum will hurt Iacovou's chances for election next month.

Agon says that Edek is accusing Akel for the failure of the `Coalition of Hope' and says that the communist party should shoulder all the blame if Clerides is re-elected for another five years.

The paper says that Edek officials believe that the votes of their supporters will be crucial in the coming elections.

Haravghi accuses the government of issuing title deeds for government land to voters in an attempt to secure votes in the elections.

The paper says that one of the latest examples is the issuing of a deed for land in Ayia Napa worth over £50,000 to the son of an Eoka fighter.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

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