STOP NATO: ¡NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------- ListBot Sponsor -------------------------- Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [Via... http://www.egroups.com/group/Communist-Internet ] . .AKEL wins Cyprus elections! Posted Tuesday, June 5, 2001 Source : New Worker THE CYPRIOT Communist Party AKEL has come out victor in the island's general elections beating the ruling Democratic Rally (DISY) by a neck. The fiercely contested poll a turnout of nearly 92 per cent gave the communist party its best result in 75 years. AKEL, the Progressive Party of the Working People, garnered 34.71 per cent of the vote. The Democratic Rally was close behind with 34.1 per cent. This leaves AKEL biggest single party in the Nicosia parliament with 20 seats. The Democratic Rally retains 19. The Democratic Party won nine, the Movement of Social Democrats got four and the United Democrats one - all down one seat from the previous parliament. Three new parties, New Horizons, the Fighting Democratic Movement and the Ecologists, entered parliament for the first time winning a seat each in the 56-strong House of Representatives. The Democratic Rally's government has been under fire for years -- blamed for the stock exchange crash amid accusations of insider dealing by ministers. Government ministers have been accused of nepotism and graft particularly in the building industry and the public as a whole is angry at the staggering rise in crime, shown by the almost nightly bomb blasts and arson attacks and the alarming increase in drugs and prostitution. The first task of the new parliament, which meets on 7 June, is to prepare legislation for the divided island's entry into the European Union. The growing support for the communists makes AKEL well placed to challenge President Glafcos Clerides when he comes up for re-election in 2003. AKEL like most of the Cypriot parties supports joining the EU. Many Cypriots believe that EU membership will hasten the end of the Turkish occupation of the north. AKEL calls for a federal solution to the problem once the Turkish army goes and AKEL leader Demetris Christofias pointedly referred to the Turkish Cypriots as "compatriots" in his victory address. This gesture of good-will was not returned by the puppet leader in northern Cyprus, Rauf Denktash, the veteran Turkish Cypriot politician who administers northern Cyprus on the back of the guns of the Turkish army, dismissed the results claiming they showed that "Greek Cypriots have no intention of finding a solution" Denktash is bitterly opposed to Cyprus's entry into the EU without a settlement as it would further isolate his "repubiic of northern Cyprus" which is recognised only by Turkey. Turkish premier Rulent Ecevit was more circumspect. While not commenting on the elections directly he said Cyprus' admission to the EU without a "permanent solution" to the island's division would "create extremely negative" consequences. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
