Rafaela Dimitriadi
The much-discussed and long-awaited Cabinet reshuffle has left a bitter taste among most political parties, with some potentially reconsidering their relationship with President Nikos Christodoulides. Despite retaining a presence in the government, several parties are far from satisfied with the President's decisions, something already evident in their initial reactions.
The new government lineup has a strong party-political presence, with figures linked to DISY, DIKO, DIPA and EDEK. EDEK has no seat in the Council of Ministers, although Elias Myrianthous has been appointed Commissioner for the Environment.
Although information began leaking last Friday, the reshuffle was announced five days later, late Tuesday afternoon. The intense behind-the-scenes activity following the leaked names appears to have changed the picture and influenced the President's final decisions.
Most of the information that initially emerged was ultimately not confirmed, while the expected transfer of Health Minister Neophytos Charalambides to the Transport Ministry, which had been considered a done deal, was reversed at the last minute.
As “K” reported previously, reactions from people involved in the health sector played a decisive role. Their argument was that, just eight months after Charalambides took office, they could not afford to go back to square one.
Charalambides ultimately remained at the Health Ministry, while Evanthia Tsolaki took over the Transport Ministry.
At the same time, Tina Pavlou, whose name had been floated for the Health Ministry and caused considerable unease within DISY, was eventually appointed Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, while Klea Papaellina moved to the Deputy Ministry of Culture.
The intense behind-the-scenes maneuvering that followed the leaked names appears to have changed the landscape.
'We see no reason not to be satisfied'
DIKO emerged from the reshuffle with a stronger presence in government.
With Evanthia Tsolaki and Christos Senekis joining the government, Panayiotis Palates moving to the position of Director of the Office of the President, and Michalis Damianou and Neophytos Charalambides having been appointed ministers in the previous reshuffle, DIKO is now represented by five of its figures in the Christodoulides administration.
Despite reports that DIKO President Nicolas Papadopoulos proposed Giorgos Solomou for the Transport Ministry during one of his meetings with the President, the request was not accepted. The apparent reason is that Solomou was not considered one of Christodoulides' strongest supporters.
It also appears that DIKO wanted one more person in government.
Nevertheless, a senior party source told “K”: “We see no reason not to be satisfied.”
'There was no information about the President's intentions'
The mood was very different at DIPA.
Despite retaining two ministers in government, the party was irritated by the way the President handled the reshuffle.
Through its spokesperson, Loizos Michael, DIPA expressed dissatisfaction with Christodoulides' handling of the process before the announcement was made.
Although DIPA's official statement was brief and contained no reference to dissatisfaction, Michael made the party's feelings clear during an interview on the program “Diaspora Eidiseon” with Oriana Papantoniou.
“I cannot hide the fact that there is indeed concern and annoyance over the way the whole process unfolded,” he said.
He also stressed that DIPA is not an opposition party but “a political force that supports the government and, in fact, bears a political cost for doing so.”
According to Michael, DIPA expected communication and an exchange of views with the President before the reshuffle. That did not happen.
“In the context of mutual respect and cooperation, we believed there could have been communication rather than us finding out through the media,” he said.
'Legitimate concerns'
EDEK's absence from the Council of Ministers adds another problem for a party already dealing with several challenges after failing to win a seat in Parliament.
The party made little attempt to hide its deep disappointment over its lack of representation in the new Cabinet. As a party that supports the President, EDEK believes it deserved different treatment.
Speaking on “Diaspora Eidiseon,” Marios Channides said that after speaking with party officials, he sensed disappointment that Christodoulides had removed EDEK from the Council of Ministers.
He also questioned why DIPA, with around 3% support, has two ministers in government, while DIKO, with around 10%, is represented by four ministers.
He asked what criterion had been used to exclude EDEK, which received 3.3%.
“I want to hear the President's reasoning,” he said.
Asked whether Myrianthous, who was appointed Environment Commissioner, had been proposed by EDEK, Channides said: “No name was proposed to the President, although that could have been done.”
EDEK's official statement struck a similar tone, stressing that the party had played a decisive role in drafting Christodoulides' election platform and had been significantly involved in implementing the government's program. The party said that contribution should have continued.
Tina Pavlou joins government despite DISY backlash
From the moment names began circulating as possible reshuffle choices, particularly Christos Angelides and Tina Pavlou, who had been a DISY candidate selected by the party leadership in the Nicosia district, tensions rose at DISY headquarters.
Party Vice President Yiannis Karousos stepped forward to defend DISY, launching a sharp attack on the President and sending Christodoulides a clear message: “Leave DISY alone.”
Karousos also argued that DISY should move from constructive opposition to a much tougher stance against the government.
DISY leader Annita Demetriou was more restrained after the names were leaked, saying only that “everyone is judged by their actions and, in politics, everyone is judged by the result.”
Demetriou had also said she tried to contact Pavlou but was unable to reach her.
In comments to Alpha Cyprus today, however, DISY Deputy Spokesperson Elena Kousiou adopted a considerably softer tone than Karousos.
Asked about the President approaching DISY figures, she said there was no annoyance.
“We as DISY do not judge individuals; we judge results. The appointment of any person is exclusively the President's responsibility and choice, just as it is each individual's personal choice whether to accept any appointment,” she said.
'Petty political games'
AKEL, meanwhile, was highly critical in its first response to the reshuffle, accusing the Presidential Palace of playing “petty political games” with DISY and DIKO and engaging in agendas and bargaining that “do not interest the Cypriot people.”
The party concluded by accusing Christodoulides and his government of accumulating “failures, irresponsibility and ineffectiveness,” particularly where, it said, the government “chooses to serve the few and privileged rather than society.”
