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Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 01-05-27
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[01] Elections - Voting
[02] Elections - Voting - Polling stations closed
[03] Elections - Voting - Interior Minister - Chief Returning Officer
1700:CYPPRESS:01
[01]
Elections - Voting
Nicosia, May 27 (CNA) - Voting is running smoothly in the free areas of the
Republic, to elect the new members of the House of Representatives.
By three o'clock local time, about 74% of registered voters had cast their
vote.
According to an official press release, in Nicosia and Limassol districts
78% had voted by three o'clock, in Famagusta 74%, Larnaca 73% and Paphos 65,
09%.
Voting ends officially at five o'clock local time but local returning
officers can extend it until 5.30.
CNA/RG/GP/2001
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
1715:CYPPRESS:02
[02]
Elections - Voting - Polling stations closed
Nicosia, May 27 (CNA) - Polling stations all over the free areas of the
Republic were due to close officially this afternoon at five o'clock local
time, where voters cast their votes to elect the new members of the House
of Representatives.
A half-hour voting extension has been given to some polling stations, due
to the fact that a number of voters has not yet voted.
Interior Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou, whose Ministry is
responsible for organising and overseeing today's parliamentary elections,
said earlier today that he expected some 93 per cent of the total number of
registered voters (467.182) to cast their vote. This is the first time 18-
year-olds are voting.
First results are due out in the early hours of Monday morning and final
results are expected at around noon or early afternoon tomorrow.
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.
A total of 454 candidates are contesting for the 56 seats, from eight
political groups, including six independent candidates. Voters include
Greek Cypriot refugees, enclaved people who live in the northern Turkish-
occupied part of Cyprus, and members of the three religious groups of
Latins, Maronites and Armenians, who belong to the Greek Cypriot community.
Benito Mantovani, representative of the Latins, has been elected unopposed.
CNA/RG/GP/2001
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
1900:CYPPRESS:03
[03]
Elections - Voting - Interior Minister - Chief Returning Officer
Nicosia, May 27 (CNA) - Interior Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou
officially announced the end of voting today to elect the new members of
the House of Representatives, and expressed satisfaction with the "order,
calmness, smoothness and impeccable manner, in which the voting was carried
out".
Chief Returning Officer Kyriacos Triantaphyllides also expressed
satisfaction with the voting and noted that near 92% of registered voters
exercised their right to vote in the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus.
Christodoulou said today's voting "was proof of the democratic way and
behaviour of our people", adding that no matter what the outcome of the
elections would be, "the winner is the people".
He praised the "collective cooperation" of the political parties with the
authorities, and thanked everyone who worked for the successful conclusion
of the voting.
Replying to questions, Christodoulou said this time there were 60.000 more
voters, 250 more polling stations, voters being registered at different
polling stations, and a computerised population registry system, thus some
confusion.
Triantaphyllides said that on an islandwide level, near 92% of registered
voters voted today, and by district 89% in Nicosia, 92% in Limassol, 93,2%
in Famagusta, 92,2% in Larnaca, and 91% in Paphos, which he said were
around the expected percentages.
He also said that all polling stations closed on time, i.e. 17:00 local
time (1400 GMT), except some in Limassol, which were given 35 minutes extra
for the voters gathered there to cast their votes.
CNA/RG/GP/2001
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
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