Day: February 5, 2023

The voting process at the Central Prisons for the presidential elections is running without any problems, the penitentiary’s acting director, Ioannis Kapnoullas, told CNA on Sunday.

According to Kapnoullas, by 10 am, 64 inmates had voted, while in total 300 are registered in the electoral rolls.

It is noted that, at the moment, there are 1,000 prisoners in the Central Prisons.

Kapnoullas said that in the prisons there is one polling station, with a ballot box.

The ballot box at the Central Prisons opened at 07:00 and will close at 14:00, with a break between noon and 13:00.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Former Cyprus President, George Vassiliou, has said that determination is needed to address the problems which the country faces, expressing hope that citizens who will vote during Sunday’s presidential elections will realize the need to have a leadership who will be able to guide Cyprus.

In statements after casting his vote, Vassiliou noted that the Greek Cypriot side faces many problems, adding that it has to face the Turkish Cypriot side, while at a certain point negotiations will begin.

Vassiliou said that “we must be able to hold negotiations, adding that it is not certain that each candidate is able to fulfill this task.”

“The situation is difficult and determination is needed to address problems that the country faces. I hope that every one who votes today has realized the need to have a leadership who will be able to guide the country,” he added.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Apart from some minor issues which were resolved immediately there were no significant problems so far during the presidential elections taking place on Sunday, Chief of Police, Stelios Papatheodorou has said.

In statements at the Police Headquarters Crisis Management Centre, at the Motorised Direct Action Unit (MMAD) premises in Nicosia, Papatheodorou noted that “the police continue to implement their operational plans for the time before, during and after the current election process.” He noted that the Crisis Management Centre operates at the MMAD premises in Nicosia for general coordination as well as smaller crisis management centres at the police divisional police headquarters.

Papatheodorou said that “we are in continuous coordination with the Chief Returning Officer and district officers which are at the polling stations. Up until now we don’t have any serious problems. The police are responsible for the security measures taken and to ensure that everything will run smoothly while they will contribute to the fairness of the electoral process offering assistance with the transport of the ballot boxes and are responsible for their safekeeping.”

Asked if there were any problems at polling stations, the Chief of Police said that there were some minor issues that were resolved immediately. As he said in one case someone did not want to wear a protective mask while in another case someone said that the ballot box was seen from outside and they moved it.

As to the issue of the use of mobile phones in polling stations, which is forbidden, Papatheodorou said that if any issue comes up then we will look into it and we will file a criminal case if the Chief Returning Officer considers that it is required.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

In total 2,000 police officers are on duty to ensure the integrity of the election process, Justice Minister, Stephie Dracos, said on Sunday, noting that the process was running smoothly, after visiting several polling stations.

“Today, the Cypriot people are called to elect the President of the Republic for the next five years,” the Minister said, after visiting the police Crisis Management Centre in Nicosia, adding that 2,000 police officers are on duty to ensure that the electoral process runs smoothly.

She noted that, earlier in the day, she visited several polling stations and that it was “with satisfaction” that she was able to verify that the procedure was running without any problems.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Whoever is elected, should insist on the implementation of human rights for the country and focus on the problems facing the country, the Archbishop of Cyprus, Georgios, said on Sunday after casting his vote for the election of the new President of the Republic.

The archbishop exercised his right to vote at the Kato Pervolia Primary School in Pafos.

In his statements to journalists, referring to the “many problems of the country, and most importantly the problem of occupation,” he noted that people today vote for the new President of the Republic of Cyprus.

He expressed hope, that, “whoever is elected”, noting that he does not question anyone’s patriotism, will focus on the problems facing the country and, “especially try and insist on the implementation of human rights for our country, for the people, so that we can survive in this country”, while the way is paved for a fair solution to the Cyprus problem.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Rain and thunderstorms are expected to continue to affect Cyprus until early morning on Monday, the Department of Meteorology has said.

In a new yellow warning on Sunday afternoon the Department said that “a combination of rain and isolated thunderstorms will continue affecting the area mainly the west, the north and the south coastal areas.”

Total precipitation is “likely to exceed the amount of 50mm per 6 hours while hail is also likely.”

The yellow warning is valid from 1600 hours local time on Sunday until 0500 hours on Monday.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Her instructions regarding the presence of candidates’ representatives at the polling stations and not announcing voters’ details during the voting process, have been followed, Commissioner for Personal Data Protection, Irene Loizidou Nikolaidou, told CNA, adding that, from Monday her Office will deal with complaints for spam texts from candidates.

The Commissioner said that, until 16.00, from checks carried out in various polling stations she found that her instructions were followed. Checks would continue until the polls close, she added.

Among her instructions was that staff at polling centres do not announce the ID card number of voters during the voting process. She also issued guidelines for the conduct of candidates’ representatives who were present at the polling centres.

The Commissioner also referred to the issue of spam texts from campaign staff to voters, noting that complaints about such messages continue to arrive, and that they will be investigated within the coming days.

She noted that she was on duty to resolve any issues that arise.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The next day following the result of the first round of the presidential elections will be discussed at a meeting of the party’s political office on Monday, said DISY President Averof Neophytou, adding that any decision of the party will be taken collectively.

Neophytou, who was left out of the second round of the presidential elections, had a meeting with outgoing President Nicos Anastasiades at the Presidential Palace, earlier on Sunday afternoon, and then made statements at his electoral staff office, accompanied by his wife, close associates and members of the Cabinet, saying that the result is “absolutely respected”. He also said he congratulated Nikos Christodoulides and Andreas Mavroyiannis, who passed in next Sunday’s run-off election.

“We fought a tough race in the most politically adverse conditions. We achieved a result very close to the party’s percentage in the parliamentary elections and we also got more votes than in the last parliamentary elections. But it was not enough,” Neophytou noted, thanking those who trusted him and “stood by our historic party and their ideas and walked with us throughout this wonderful journey, despite the split attempt.”

Stressing that the decision for the next day is a collective one, Neophytou added that DISY is a democratic party with strong institutional procedures and that its organs will evaluate the results and its further stance.

“One thing is certain”, he stressed, “DISY will remain united and strong, a leading player in Parliament and society and I will remain personally committed to this high mission. I owe it to the struggles and to what you have done, not only in recent months, but also to what [former President] Glafkos Clerides bequeathed to us with our principles, values and beliefs.”

Asked if his statement that DISY will remain in opposition if the citizens decide so is still valid, Neophytou said that “the decision for the next day, I said it during the pre-election and I declare it tonight, will be decided institutionally, do not confuse me with others.”

Asked about his discussion with the President of the Republic in their meeting earlier at the Presidential Palace, Neophytou said that as in every election, it is the norm for the party to talk with the President of the Republic who is honorary president of DISY. “We discussed what I have just stated,” he said.

“I repeat, any decision is a decision of the political office, there are no other bodies to decide. We talk, we discuss, but we have a statute that we respect,” he said.

Responding to a question on whether he put himself before the party members, Neophytou said he had stated this several times and would repeat it: “We have a statute that provides for procedures. When they are set in motion, Neophytou will be a candidate for the Presidency of DISY,” he stressed.

Finally, asked if the possibility of supporting the candidacy of Nikos Christodoulides will be on the table, Neophytou reiterated that he is working institutionally.

“I do not want to rush any decision of a collective body,” he said, adding that “I have an opinion and even if I were not a party chairman, as an active citizen I have an opinion. I will express it before the collective bodies and I will respect any decision they make, I repeat, don’t confuse me with others.”

Source: Cyprus News Agency