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Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 01-05-27
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[01] Polling Day - Opening
[02] Elections - Voting continues - Journalists from occupied areas
[03] Elections - President Clerides - Vote
[04] Elections - Voting - Break
[05] Elections - Interior Minister - Voting
[06] Elections - Voting - Resumes
[07] Elections - Political party leaders - Outgoing House President
0730:CYPPRESS:01
[01] Polling Day - Opening
Nicosia, May 27 (CNA) -- Polling in the government-controlled areas of the
Republic to elect 56 parliamentarians started at seven this morning and
will continue until five, with an hour break at noon.
President Glafcos Clerides, House President Spyros Kyprianou and most party
leaders, with the exception of two, will cast their vote in the capital
Nicosia.
A total of eight parties, five already in the House, and six independent
candidates are contesting the election.
Front pages in today's Sunday papers present the election contest in
various ways. One has party leaders in the driving seat of what looks like
a Grand Prix, another carries a cartoon which intertwined election campaign
slogans from most parties and another one has a huge photograph urging
people to vote for a specific party.
"Neck and Neck", "Elections - A Thriller", "A House with a taste for the
Presidency" and "Cyprus votes today" are some of the front page headlines.
This is the eighth parliamentary contest Cypriots are voting for.
CNA MM/GP/2001
0920:CYPPRESS:02
[02] Elections - Voting continues - Journalists from occupied areas
Nicosia, 27 (CNA) - As voting continues smoothly throughout the free areas
of the Republic for a new House of Representatives, a total of 24
journalists have crossed over from the Turkish-occupied north of the island
to cover the eighth parliamentary elections since the establishment of the
Cyprus Republic 1960.
According to CNA sources, the journalists will cover voting in the capital,
that of President Glafcos Clerides, AKEL General Secretary Demetris
Christofias, Social Democrats President Vassos Lyssarides and United
Democrats President George Vassiliou.
The journalists will return to the occupied areas and will come back later
this evening to cover the counting at the International Conference Centre
in the government-controlled part of Nicosia.
Meanwhile, the office of the Chief Returning Officer announced that voting,
which began at 0700 local time (0400 GMT) continues smoothly and orderly.
Voting will resume after an hour's break at midday until 1700 local time.
A total of 454 candidates contest for the 56 seats in the House from eight
political groups, including six indepenedent candidates.
Voting is also underway for the representatives of the religious groups of
Maronites and Armenians, who belong to the Greek Cypriot community.
The representative of the Latin religious group to the new House, Benito
Mantovani, was elected unopposed. The Maronites and the Armenians will
elect their respective representatives. The former have four candidates to
choose from and the latter two.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied
37 per cent of the island's territory.
CNA ECA/GP/2001
1140:CYPPRESS:03
[03] Elections - President Clerides - Vote
Nicosia, May 27 (CNA) -- Voting in today's parliamentary elections is by
secret ballot but President Glafcos Clerides had no hesitation in
disclosing to the press that his vote went to the party he himself set up
in the mid-1970s, the ruling rightwing Democratic Rally (DISI).
Speaking after casting his vote, the President said he does not intend to
reshuffle his cabinet after the elections, adding that speculation to that
effect comes from the media.
"I have just exercised my democratic right, which the law says is
compulsory and my conscience tells me that I must vote according to my
beliefs," the President said here today, after casting his vote.
Asked if he voted for DISI as always, he replied "voting is by secret
ballot but I can tell you, yes, I did vote for the party."
Invited to say whether he intends to have a cabinet reshuffle depending on
the election result, the President turned to the press and said "I am not
considering this, you are."
The President was accompanied by First Lady Irini-Lila Clerides and his
daughter Keti, who is running in the election with DISI in Nicosia
district.
Media representatives had gathered early in the day at the polling station
where the President was due to cast his vote and prepared for live
broadcasts. Turkish Cypriot journalists crossed the buffer zone into the
southern government- controlled parts of the Republic to cover the
elections.
CNA MM/GP/2001
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
1230:CYPPRESS:04
[04] Elections - Voting - Break
Nicosia, May 27 (CNA) - Voting in today's parliamentary elections was
interrupted for an hour here Sunday and will resume at 1300 local time
(1000 GMT).
According to the office of the Assistant Chief Returning Officer, voting
continued smoothly throughout the free areas of the Republic.
An official statement said that by 1000 local time (0700 GMT), the
percentage of those who voted per district was:
Nicosia: 20%, Limassol: 25%, Famagusta: 22%, Larnaca: 20,78% and Paphos: 25,
04%.
CNA ECA/GP 2001
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
1250:CYPPRESS:05
[05] Elections - Interior Minister - Voting
Nicosia, May 27 (CNA) -- Interior Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou,
whose ministry is responsible for organising and overseeing today's
parliamentary elections, has said everything is running smoothly and a
substantive percentage of registered voters, including some 60,000 who are
voting for the first time, have already cast their vote.
Speaking after he cast his vote in Nicosia, the minister said he expects
some 93 per cent of the total number of registered voters (467.182) will
cast their vote by the end of the day. This is the first time 18-year-olds
are voting. Voting is compulsory.
"Voting continues in a calm and orderly manner and I believe the people of
Cyprus will act responsibly," he said, as the polls close for an hour over
lunch.
He said at 10:00 local time (0700 GMT) three hours after the polls opened,
more voters have cast their vote in Larnaca, Paphos and Limassol districts
than they did at this stage in the 1996 parliamentary elections.
In Larnaca just over 20 per cent have cast their vote and in Paphos and
Limassol 25 per cent.
In Nicosia and Famagusta districts the percentage of voters, who have
already been to the polling stations to vote, is much the same as it was
five years ago.
"This year we have 60,000 new voters and this inevitably causes some delay
at polling stations," the minister said.
First results are due out in the early hours of Monday morning and final
results are expected at around noon or early afternoon on 28 May.
Voting is taking place in the southern government-controlled areas of the
Republic for the 56 seat House of Representatives. The Greek Cypriot
community votes its deputies. Turkish Cypriots withdrew from parliament in
the early 1960s.
CNA MM/GP/2001
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
1310:CYPPRESS:06
[06] Elections - Voting - Resumes
Nicosia, May 27 (CNA) - Voting in today's parliamentary elections resumed
after an hour break here Sunday at 1300 local time (1000 GMT), with 55% of
the electorate casting their votes.
According to the office of the Assistant Chief Returning Officer, by noon
voting continued smoothly and in an orderly manner throughout the free
areas of the Republic.
An official statement said that by 1200 local time (0900 GMT), the
percentage of those who voted per district was:
Nicosia: 56%, Limassol: 58%, Famagusta: 53%, Larnaca: 53,90% and Paphos: 53,
99%.
Voting in Cyprus is compulsory.
CNA ECA/GP 2001
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
1410:CYPPRESS:07
[07] Elections - Political party leaders - Outgoing House President
Nicosia, May 27 (CNA) - Political party leaders cast their votes in today's
parliamentary elections, expressing optimism that their parties will be
included in the 56-seat House of Representatives.
At the same time, they said the day belongs to democracy and to the will of
the people.
Outgoing House President, Spyros Kyprianou, called for consensus at the new
House of Representatives with deputies having as priority the future of the
island. He also said he was deeply moved to be given once again the
opportunity to cast his vote. "Today democracy is celebrating and we are
proud of the democracy we have and we should safeguard it", he said.
He added the new House "will introduce Cyprus into the European Union" and
has "a lot of work to do", he stressed.
To a question that there are 26 seats at the House which belong to the
Turkish Cypriot community and are empty, Kyprianou replied "we always
wanted the legal representatives of the Turkish Cypriots to acquire their
seats, but this requires an end to the occupation, withdrawal of Turkish
settlers, a proper solution of the Cyprus problem, based on international
law, Security Council decisions and the acquis communautaire, not to
mention the recent decision of the European Court of Human Rights. But as a
matter of principle, the seats are there".
The European Court of Human Rights judgment considers Ankara guilty of
human rights abuses in Cyprus. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when
Turkish troops invaded and occupied the island's northern third.
Invited to predict the results, which the Democratic Party (DIKO) will
secure, Kyprianou said, "I trust it will do very well". Kyprianou was the
founder of DIKO back in 1976 and held this post until October 2000.
Ruling Democratic Rally leader, Nicos Anastasiades, said his party "will
continue to be an important political force in Cyprus."
Speaking to journalists at his hometown of Limassol, Anastasiades expressed
"optimism and trust in the judgment of Cypriot Hellenism".
Anastasiades voiced "absolute optimism" that the people of Cyprus "will
honour reliability, work, prospects and vision which are being outlined by"
DISY's contribution, adding that "DISY tonight will be a decisive force".
Opposition AKEL General Secretary, Demetris Christofias, voiced certainty
that after the elections AKEL will serve the people of Cyprus from higher
posts, noting the people's wish, as it was interpreted in the various
opinion polls, "will become a result".
"Whatever the result, it is the people's judgment", Christofias added.
On his part, Democratic Party leader, Tassos Papadopoulos, described
today's voting as a "day for the people", adding he is "optimistic" about
results.
"What was to be said from us has been said. Today is the people's day, and
we are awaiting the people's verdict", Papadopoulos added.
Social Democrats (KISOS) leader, Vassos Lyssarides, said the setting after
the elections will not be "changed dramatically".
He also voiced optimism for the electoral result, adding that KISOS is the
"best ambassador in Europe because we have great potential due to the close
relations" the party maintains with the European Socialist Party.
Asked whether the people will give KISOS the chance to play an instrumental
role in the island's accession course to the EU, Lyssarides said it is
"unwise to make predictions on the day of the elections". However he said
the messages his party receives are "positive and satisfactory".
United Democrats leader and former President of the Republic, George
Vassiliou, accompanied by his wife Androulla, who is seeking re-election,
said the new House will approve the island's accession in the EU and
promised his party will work for Europe and democracy.
Asked if he continues to believe the United Democrats will be in the new
House, Vassiliou told journalists "not to worry", expressing the belief
that voters will honour his party with their votes "so we can work for
Europe, for democracy and all the problems which this island faces".
New Horizons (NEO) leader, Nicos Koutsou, said he was certain his party
would be the "pleasant surprise" of the elections, noting that the problems
facing the new House are great.
He said that with their entry into the House, the NEO will begin work to
"reform the state and society through dialogue" and to chart a new strategy
for the solution of the Cyprus problem, based on the contents of the recent
decision of the European Court of Human Rights, which found Turkey guilty
of mass violations of human rights in Cyprus.
Invited to comment on the percentage, which he expects his party to gain,
Koutsou said, "today's day belongs to the people who will freely and
democratically decide who will enter the new House".
The representative of the Ecologists - Environmentalists Movement (Greens),
George Perdikis, said today is a "day for the people to decide", expressing
the conviction that the Movement will undertake from tomorrow a new role
with its entry into the House of Representatives.
He described as "unlikely" the possibility that the Greens will not enter
the House, noting that all messages show that the Movement will be one of
the Green parties of the Mediterranean, which will be represented at a
parliamentary level.
Fighting Democratic Movement (ADIK) leader, Dinos Michaelides, said as from
tomorrow his party will work with all its strength inside the House and the
National Council, for the good of the people of Cyprus", adding that ADIK's
aim is to enter the new House with three deputies.
Michaelides expressed optimism over the results of the elections, adding
that "the "messages we get from all over Cyprus are messages of triumph for
ADIK".
CNA ECA/GP/2001
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
1415:CYPPRESS:08
[08] Elections - Enclaved - Voting
Nicosia, May 27 (CNA) -- Enclaved Greek Cypriots, living in the Republic's
northern Turkish-occupied areas, crossed into the southern government-
controlled part of Cyprus to cast their vote for a new parliament,
expressing hope that the future will bring better days for them once a
solution to the island's division is found.
"I do not want to leave my home and I continue to hope for something better,
" Panayiota Kanaka, 43, has said, who also had a piece of advice for Greek
Cypriot politicians, who for the past several months were engaged in the
election campaign, at times with acrimonious exchanges.
"Once this is over, I want them to stop waging war against each other and
concentrate on fighting our common enemy, Turkey, to rid our country of the
occupation troops," Kanaka, who was on one of the two buses carrying the
enclaved, told CNA today.
She said in her village Leonarisso, where she has remained since the 1974
Turkish invasion of Cyprus, she looks after the elderly people and does a
bit of sewing.
"Our fields have been taken over and Turks cultivate them now," she said.
Enclaved persons, who now number about 550, vote in specific polling
stations in Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos. In the aftermath of the
Turkish invasion in 1974 there were about 20,000 Greek Cypriots living in
occupied Cyprus but the hardships they have had to endure forced most of
them to leave.
An elderly gentleman, Anastasis Pertikos, from Ayia Triada village, said
life under the Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus has improved
somewhat but added "it is not good enough coming over to the free areas,
what we want is a political settlement."
He said his wife stayed behind to tend to their animals.
Pantelis Didimitrouthkiou said he runs a coffee shop in his village,
Karpassi, noting that the Turks in the same village have their own coffee
shop.
He said he finds it hard to visit his children who live in the southern
government-controlled areas of Cyprus.
"Things are a bit better in the village now," he noted.
Voting among the Greek Cypriot community to elect their representatives to
the new House started at 0700 local time (0400 GMT) and will continue until
1700.
CNA KS/MM/GP/2001
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
CNA ENDS
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