Only one week left until the Cyprus presidential elections

With only one week until the February Presidential elections, candidates continued to deliver stump speeches at gatherings and meet with associations during the weekend. The issues they highlighted in their campaigns concerned issues in relation to the economy and the Cyprus problem, among others.

Democratic Rally leader and presidential candidate, Averof Neofytou, pledged that his candidacy will finish first during the first round of the presidential elections, on Sunday and win triumphantly on February 12, in the second round, while addressing his final gathering in Larnaca, in the presence of the President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades and the President of the Parliament Annita Demetriou.

Responsible forces in the country who worry about the future of Cyprus are worried by the fait accompli in the passage of time, said Neofytou in a speech at a memorial service on Sunday, in the Holy Church of Agios Dimitrios, in Anafotia.

In a statement on Saturday, Neofytou said that tax reliefs may provide a tool for social justice for the middle class. He also noted that the "economy is the vehicle to support all social classes" and added that in order to have a strong economy, you must provide incentives for investments.

Education and training are the main pillars for developing a progressive society and a modern state, candidate for the presidency, Andreas Mavroyiannis, said in a press release, while criticizing the "lack of vision, strategic plan and clear objectives" when it comes to the public school system in the last decade.

Furthermore, Mavroyiannis, said in a press release that managing migration flows comprises "another failure" of the outgoing government, for which both Neofytou and Christodoulides are proud, asking people to vote for its continuation. People have two options in the coming elections, either to continue on the same path "which trapped us in inadequate policies and barbed wire fences, or to choose change."

Mavroyiannis continued his pre-election tour with gatherings all over Cyprus and according to a statement from his election campaign office, he visited Choirokoitia and Alhambra.

Presidential candidate, Nikos Christodoulides, asked for a strong popular mandate in order to implement his governance program while declaring that he is ready to take over the governance of the country. During his speech at his final Pan-Cyprian pre-election gathering held at the State Fair, in Nicosia, he said that he is ready to form "a Government of broad social acceptance" in a bid to become "President of all Cypriots."

Christodoulides also asked voters for a strong popular mandate ahead of the February 5 elections at another gathering of friends and supporters, during a tour in Meneou, Mazotos, Anglisides and Choirokoitia. Moreover, he called on citizens to participate in next Sunday's elections.

As part of his proposals concerning the youth, Christodoulides, proposed the adoption of a policy to grant a prepaid card, worth 350 euros, to young men and women upon reaching the age of 18, according to the announcement of his election campaign office.

In response, the President of NEDISY, Giorgos Hatzigeorgiou, said the proposal shows the candidate's "despair" in view of the coming Sunday, and constitutes a "gross insult" to the dignity of the young people of this country.

On Saturday, the candidate for the Presidency, Achilleas Demetriades, proposed the creation of a Deputy Ministry of European Affairs, to further Cyprus' participation at every level of EU decision-making.

Dimitriades also said on Sunday that the Anastasiades government spent 10 years without a strategy for the transition to RES while the Electricity Authority of Cyprus' factories were left using fuel oil, while the costly project to bring natural gas is in jeopardy.

Independent candidate Giorgos Kolokasides issued a press release saying that Neofytou, a week before the elections, called for a public debate between the candidates. "This is yet another pre-election firework by Neofytou, as it is practically impossible to carry it out" added Kolokasides.