The Minister of Transport, Yiannis Karousos, took a position against Nikos Christodoulidis during the meeting of the DISY political office.
The same the speech:
"Today's decision in its introduction should contain a big thank you to everyone who worked and contributed to this election campaign. And I don't mean us who are either appointed or elected but the pure and honest alarmists who for a year have stood by our candidate following the decisions and the statute. They selflessly offered, worked, stayed up all night and today they are disappointed and justifiably feel betrayed.
Unfortunately, every time - and what I will say is one of our biggest problems as a party - instead of rewarding those who are right and in today's case the 75% who voted for Averof Neophytou, we try to find ways to satisfy the defectors and those who are against our decisions, i.e. 25%.
We pay for the fact that we let or let anyone think they can violate the statute whenever they want without any punishment. Instead of seeing the forest we see the tree. In Greece I constantly see Kyriakos Mitsotakis deleting even his MPs. Our judge must be one. The preservation of the unity of the faction for the good of the country.
I would also like to remind everyone that we have bylaws and procedures and we all have to follow the decisions of our collective bodies and the bylaws. I too declare that I will follow the Politburo's decision, whatever it may be. I will of course submit my proposal as well. But what others do to us, let us not do to ourselves.
First of all, our citizens chose to be in the opposition and this must be a key element for any decision. That is why my first suggestion is that we should be in the opposition exercising it in a responsible way of course.
The second, also important, is that today we must prove that we are not the party of seats and chairs that is addicted to power and that we are not there for everyone to do their "job" or to serve anyone's personal interests . I think we are tired of hearing the familiar: "I wasn't elected, I don't vote for you, you didn't legalize my illegality, I don't vote for you, I don't pay my loan if you don't arrange it for me, I don't vote for you, if you don't appoint my child, I don't vote for you ” and many more, which we know and have experienced.
I don't want and I don't desire a faction that runs us or wants us to do their "jobs", but a faction that its members and friends support for its principles, for the way it works, for the its initiatives and the intersections it brings to this country.
We have to look at our party, our faction, because the future of the country depends on our health and strength and being in opposition will give us time to correct our mistakes, to get in touch with our base , to improve and become stronger.
Regarding the 2 candidates of the second round, on the one hand we have Nikos Christodoulidis, who violated all the basic principles and values of this faction even though he was given the opportunity to go to the base. We cannot support anyone who is renegade and disruptive as it will be a humiliation for the faction and will send the wrong message. What will happen tomorrow, in local, parliamentary, future presidential elections? Will 2 alarms always go down one official and one unofficial? We must not leave the window open like this.
Possible support for Nikos Christodoulidis will be against the faction and that is where our percentages will decrease, since this will bring about serious introversion in our world while opening the way for renegade interventions and not only that. At the same time, in everything that does not go well, he will place the blame on us, and in everything that goes well, he will enjoy the reward, not us.
A proper party with principles and dignity cannot support Nikos Christodoulidis. Personally at least, you older ones thus taught me to be a statesman with these principles.
On the other hand, we have Andreas Mavroyiannis, an honest and fair man, a right-winger who is supported by AKEL, with which we have nothing in common. Taking into account the above, the best and WISE choice for our faction is to vote according to conscience and in any CASE, for DISY to be in the official opposition as the largest party in Cyprus.
This is the best option for the future of the faction.
Also, I suggest that ALONG with the elections for president be held for the entire leadership.
My dear President, watching some analyzes on Sunday I saw that in the 18-25 age group you were first with a percentage of 31 and something percent. This means that this faction has a future and with the right moves we will raise it to where it deserves. Starting from our decision tonight, I believe that the most responsible attitude is a vote of conscience.
My dear Averof Neophytou, you fought a battle essentially alone, against apostates with Trojan horses and nightmares that indicated the straits to take Thermopylae.
We learn them day by day, nothing remains hidden. If we didn't have a defector and a splitter, today you would have a 1st round rate of about 38% and be the next PtD. That says a lot about your candidacy.
Even though we didn't make it, you won the hearts of the pure alarmists and they must be seen tonight, their messages must be heard, let's not let them down because we will lose them too.
On them, the many and not the few, the righteous and not the apostates, we must build and support our future and with them shield our home. This is what the pure, simple alarmist demands today.
A vote of conscience – NO to DEFUTERS.”