Day: December 18, 2022

The election procedure for the selection of the new Primate of the Church of Cyprus, after the passing of Archbishop Chrysostomos in November, takes place Sunday.

The whole process is carried out in two stages, according to the Charter of the Cyprus church.

Today the voters will cast their ballot among the 6 candidates and the first 3 who secure the majority of the votes form the so called triumvirate. Following today’s procedure, the Holy Synod will meet, during the second stage, to decide on the new Archbishop.

The 6 candidates are the Bishop Georgios of Paphos, Bishop Chrysostomos of Kyrenia, Bishop Athanasios of Limassol, Bishop Neophytos of Morphou, Bishop Vasilios of Constantia and Ammochostos and Bishop Isaias of Tamasos and Orinis.

The voters can learn where they must cast their vote by visiting Church of Cyprus’ website at https://churchofcyprus.org.cy (link “Learn where you are voting”).

Voting begins at 10am local time and ends at 6pm with a break between 1-2pm and people must show either their ID or their voter book.

There will be 942 polling stations across the island.

When the electoral process ends today, a period of 3 days is given for objections. When this period is over the Holy Synod is given another 5 days to study these objections, to ratify the result and establish the triumvirate.

Afterward, within 3 days, the Holy Synod will choose the Archbishop from among the triumvirate.

The elections will be overseen by a large number of Police members to secure that everything goes smoothly.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

In the course of the decade, we did not leave any opportunity unexploited in the Cyprus problem, President Nicos Anastasiades said, in a message to political magazine “Politicians”. He also noted that until his last day in office, he will seek to resolve the Cyprus problem, or at least to create the conditions so that the next President will continue his effort, based on the Guterres framework.

He referred to the proposals he submitted for Confidence Building Measures and recalled that the Turkish side did not welcome them.

The President also said that it is because of our determination that we engaged in the negotiations in Crans Montana in 2017, where, for the first time, all the major issues concerning the Cyprus problem were raised, with security being a priority.

He reiterated that a solution to the Cyprus problem can benefit not only Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, but also Turkey itself and the wider region, as long as Turkey abandons its goals and rhetoric for a two-state solution.

The President also referred to Cyprus’ foreign policy, the relations with the US and its energy role in the region, noting that our country has credibility and its geopolitical role is strengthened.

President Anastasiades also referred to the crises he had to manage, the financial crisis, the pandemic and Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, pointing out that the Cypriot economy is recording excellent results.

Anastasiades also spoke about the important reforms during his administration such as the national health scheme, the reforms of the public service and the legislative power, the various projects such as marinas, ports and infrastructure.

He also described Cyprus’ recovery and resilience plan “Cyprus – Tomorrow” as a great legacy to the next generations.

Cyprus has been divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion. Repeated rounds of talks under the UN aegis, failed so far to yield results for the reunification of the island under a federal roof. The last round of negotiations took place in the summer of 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

“I hope the best is elected” President Nicos Anastasiades said Sunday, after casting his vote for today’s elections for a new Archbishop of Cyprus. The President voted in his hometown, Limassol and replying to a question by the media, he said that the Archbishop is the spiritual leader for the Greek Orthodox and therefore, he sincerely hopes that the best will be elected.

The President said that he will have the opportunity to meet up with the new primate during his enthronement, adding that the Church has a historical role to play as well as a spiritual and social.

Asked whether it has a political role as well, the President said he does not think that in modern times the Church can be involved in politics. But he went on to say that the Church of course has an opinion on national issues.

Process so far runs smoothly says Chief Returning Officer

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The voting process began without any problems and so far everything runs smoothly, the Chief Returning Officer Yiannis Harilaou said, in statements at the Archbishopric, in Nicosia, this morning, calling on people to vote.

Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry Costas Constantinou and the Archbishopric’s legal advisor Simos Angelides were also present during the media statements.

Harilaou said that process is similar to Presidential elections, but in a more complicated way due to the peculiarities of church elections. He added that people can learn where they can vote by visiting the Church’s website or by calling at 22 554600.

Harilaou is expected to make new statements at 1300 during the one-hour break.

The results will be known later tonight.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry said that these elections have some particularities adding that they have also been working for the upcoming Presidential elections for the past 6 months.

Simos Angelides, legal advisor of the Archdiocese, stated that he also contributed in the elections to verify that they will be impartial, objective and accurate.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

We are working for a solution to the Cyprus problem, pledged on Sunday Defence Minister Charalambos Petrides during the memorial service of policemen Yiannakis Aeroporou and Vanios Spania as well as EOKA fighter Charalambos Ioannou at the Fasoula Church of the Birth of the Virgin Mary in the Limassol district.

He said the two policemen who lost their lives during the intercommunal strife of 1963 and the Turkish invasion of 1974 set as top priority the debt to their homeland and sacrificed their youth for freedom and justice.

Ioannou, said Petrides, was a fiery patriot who participated in every call to defend his homeland.

He said on our part we have an obligation towards history and our homeland as well as a historical responsibility, with the same patience and vigor, to fight to make Cyprus a country of freedom and peace. Out national goal remains one, we work “for a solution to the Cyprus problem that will free and reunite the country and create as well as safeguard conditions of security, welfare and cooperation for all its lawful inhabitant”.

Petrides said Turkey insists for some time now, through provocative actions and unfounded claims, to create new faits accompli which are not part of the agreed framework for a solution and the UN Security Council resolutions.

Every effort to create rapprochement and a resumption of the dialogue is torpedoed by Turkey’s negative stance and setting as a precondition the acceptance of two independent states on the island, the Minister said.

Despite Turkey’s totally negative attitude, he added, “with the same commitment and without deviating from our main goal, we will continue the struggle to solve the Cyprus problem and defend the rights of our people.”

Cyprus has been divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion. Repeated rounds of talks under the UN aegis, failed so far to yield results for the reunification of the island under a federal roof. The last round of negotiations took place in the summer of 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Bishop Athanasios of Limassol secured the lead in Sunday’s electoral process for the new Archbishop, and is followed by Bishop Georgios of Paphos and Bishop Isaiah of Tamassos and Orini, with the three of them forming the triumvirate that will be brought before to the Holy Synod when choosing the next Primate of the Church of Cyprus.

In his statements at the Archbishopric Palace, the Chief Returning Officer, Yiannis Harilaou, stated that the final results, with 100% of the votes counted, are as follows: Bishop of Limassol Athanasios secured 35.68%, Bishop of Paphos Georgios 18.39%, Bishop of Tamassos and Orini Isaiah 18.10%, Bishop of Constantia and Famagusta Vasilios 14.79%, Bishop of Morphou Neophytos 9.80% and Bishop of Kyrenia Chrysostomos 3.24%.

The election process started earlier on Sunday morning, at 10.00 am (local time) while polls closed at 18.00.

Harilaou stated that the total turnout was 30.2%, noting that 165,750 out of 548,793 voters cast their votes.

He noted that the turnout in the Archbishopric of Cyprus was 26.17% with 35,006 voters who cast their votes out of a total of 133,768, in the Bishopric of Paphos it was 34.79% with 20,902 voters out of 60,073, in the Bishopric of Kition it was 23.04% with 18,239 voters out of 79,154, in the Bishopric of Kyrenia it was 32.19% with 1,222 voters out of 3,796, in the Bishopric of Limassol it was 30.57% with 45,162 voters out of 147,736.

The Chief Returning Officer added that the attendance rate in the Bishopric of Morphou was 33.56% with 5,971 voters going to the polls out of 17,790, in the Bishopric of Constantia-Famagusta it was 43.38% with 14,450 voters out of 33,313, in the Bishopric of Kykkos it was 47.90% with 856 voters out of 1,787, in the Bishopric of Tamasos it was 35.74% with 15,062 voters out of 42,146 and in the Bishopric of Trimythounta it was 30.38% with 8,880 voters out of 29,230.

Harilaou pointed out that this was turnout until approximately 17:45, that is, 15 minutes before the closing of the polls.

People’s verdict needs to be be respected, said Bishop Athanasios of Limassol in his statements, while thanking God and the people for the result in the elections. Asked if he is going to enter into consultations with other members of the Holy Synod he said that there will be some consultations in the spirit of cooperation, but nothing more.

Bishop Georgios of Paphos said that “there is no first or second” when forming the triumvirate since people vote their top three choices and then the members of the Holy Synod chose as the next Archbishop the one who is deemed to be more appropriate.

Bishop Isaiah of Tamassos and Orinis said that this was the most peaceful election ever held in the Church of Cyprus, adding that the inclusion of a new Bishop in the triumvirate shows that the voice of young people was heard at the end.

Bishop of Constantia and Famagusta, Vassilios said the result of the vote is completely respected and “we accept it.”

Source: Cyprus News Agency