CLOSE
Loading...
12° Nicosia,
21 July, 2026
 
Home  /  Comment  /  Opinion

Politics Blog: AKEL, Odysseas and political satire

This week's political happenings in a way only Onasagoras can tell it.

Onasagoras

Onasagoras

AKEL is organizing a protest outside the Presidential Palace on Sunday, demonstrating against the dismissal of Odysseas Michaelides. Hearing this brought back memories of the protests outside the Presidential Palace after the Mari incident. "Let’s see if they like it now that we’ll do to them what they did to us," an AKEL friend said to me with a glint in his eye. But, my comrade, these two situations are not comparable. For Lenin’s sake, seriously.

The discussion regarding the renegotiation of the terms with the American company Chevron for the Aphrodite gas field is being pushed to next year. No rush, of course. What’s a few more months in the grand scheme of eternity? The irony is, we used to laugh when Lillikas suggested we pre-sell the gas (considering his suggestions as nothing more than hot air), responding sarcastically, "We haven’t even seen it yet, and you’re already calling it 'John'." Or, to paraphrase a well-known saying, "We haven’t even extracted the gas, and we’re already calling it Aphrodite."

Of course, back then, when we tried to pre-sell to the Americans, they told us, "Do you take us for fools?" Houston, we have a problem! Evidently. Or as the Americans would say, “Clearly!” In a statement, Aphrodite herself famously declared: "I will not surrender my gas!"

Slowly but surely, under pressure from journalists, all the major political parties released the names and salaries of their advisors—except for one. The party of our national prince (Papadopoulos of DIKO). The rumor mill suggests there’s a serious reason for this, with at least two names on the list expected to cause a major uproar. As they say, 'it was already a rotten vine, and now the donkey’s eaten it too'.

Tonight marks the premiere of Loukis Patsalidis' show on Alpha, while Michalis Sophocleous’ show has already started on ANT1. Lukas Constantinou is also launching a political satire show on RIK every Sunday. With all the events of recent days, these satirical programs will have plenty of material to work with.

This season, among other things, we’ll have the third episode of "Famagusta" and a new series by Tsiakkas about Saint Paisios. There’s also a local production of a Social Experiments show on Omega, while Chrysso Lefou has left RIK for Sigma. RIK has also “managed” to lose its highest-rated show, "Paradosiaka Vradia," which is moving to Alpha. Meanwhile, "Trikymia," which held down the post-news slot for years, is now being moved to 7 PM—a baffling, nonsensical, and self-sabotaging move. Finally, Fotis Georgiadis' team has started filming a comedy series that’s expected to air in early January. Wishing everyone a good TV season!

[This op-ed was translated from its Greek original]

TAGS
Cyprus  |  news  |  politics

Opinion: Latest Articles

This summer, as vacation posts flood our feeds, it is worth remembering that what we see online is rarely a complete or accurate picture of anyone's life. Photo credit: Unsplash

The FOMO industry

As social media turns everyday life into a carefully curated performance, the fear of missing out has become less of a personal ...
Paris Demetriades
 |  OPINION
The public warmth between Donald Trump and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says more about today's strategic landscape than Nicosia's expectations. Photo credit: AFP via turkiyetoday.com

The navel of the world

Cyprus risks mistaking diplomatic optimism for geopolitical reality as the EU's priorities increasingly center on Turkey. ...
Pavlos Xanthoulis
 |  OPINION
The unanswered questions that have haunted soldiers and refugees for decades continue to point one man toward faith.

Bullets are not spared...

A new memoir revisits the impossible choices of the 1974 war through one survivor's personal testimony.
Opinion
 |  OPINION
America's constitutional checks will be crucial ahead of the 2027 French presidential election and future global stability. Photo credit: www.nato.int

Whatever happens in Ankara...

Trump's praise for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan leaves Athens with little room to respond through traditional ...
Opinion
 |  OPINION
Competing calendars and weaponized histories manufacture the illusion of an inevitable final conflict. Image from The Crusader Bible at The Blanton Museum of Arts

Reality or narratives?

Our obsession with historical cycles blinds us to the present reality in the Middle East.
Opinion
 |  OPINION
How Cyprus turned a simple commute into a daily battle, and why making driving inconvenient is our only way out. File photo

From dead end to one-way street

Between smartphone-blind pedestrians and traffic-choked streets, it is time to admit our car dependency has hit rock bottom. ...
Paris Demetriades
 |  OPINION
Critics argue the reform is designed to deliver immediate political gains while postponing the difficult decisions needed to secure future generations' retirement prospects.

Limited-liability pension reform

Government proposals promise higher benefits and lower early-retirement penalties, but questions remain about the long-term ...
Opinion
 |  OPINION
As questions mount for former president Nicos Anastasiades, Cyprus faces a larger reckoning over accountability, institutional trust, and political culture. File photo

The report is only the beginning

The findings point to possible corruption at the highest levels of public life, but the challenge now is ensuring a credible ...
Opinion
 |  OPINION
A growing list of America's partners have learned how quickly loyalty can be discarded. File photo Pixabay

Where are the Iranians?

As Iran falls silent after military strikes, those who hoped for liberation are left with uncertainty, fear and unanswered ...
Opinion
 |  OPINION
A reality check for us Cypriots

A reality check for us Cypriots

The findings of the anti-corruption authority challenge both our blind trust in institutions and our claims that everyone ...
Thanasis Photiou
 |  OPINION
Does money bring happiness?

Does money bring happiness?

A reflection on village memories, Cypriot flavours and modern dining shows that while wealth is debatable, a good meal always ...
Michalis Michaelides
 |  OPINION
X