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Cyprus coalition government dissolved |
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09:16, July 11, 2007 |
Cyprus' three-party coalition government was dissolved on Tuesday after the biggest partner Akel decided to support his leader Demetris Christofias as a candidate in the February 2008 presidential election.
Meanwhile, Cypriot president Tassos Papadopoulos is certain to seek for a second term with the confirmed support of two other coalition parties, the Democratic Party and the Social Democrats Movement EDEK, the Cyprus News Agency reported.
Speaking after a meeting between President Papadopoulos and the leaders of the three parties, government spokesman Vassilis Palmas said the tripartite cooperation since 2003 was successful and left a substantive mark on the political and social scene on the island.
Four ministers from AKEL are expected to resign from the government during Wednesday's cabinet meeting and that president Papadopoulos would be announcing his decision very soon, said the spokesman.
Papadopoulos later voiced his regret for the dissolution of the coalition.
"I think that the Cypriot people should also be sorry, but the latest developments, the decisions of the parties and AKEL's decisions rendered the continuation of the coalition impossible," he said.
Akel leader Christofias, also the parliament speaker, has been at odds with President Papadopoulos on how to resolve the Cyprus issue and the pace of accession to euro zone.
He has indicated that the Greek Cypriot side should follow a more "flexible policy" and show their "political will for a solution of the problem."
But President Papadopoulos campaigned for a "No" vote during the referendum in 2004 on a UN plan for a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.
Christofias also proposed to put off the adoption of euro for one year in a bid to minimize possible impact on low-income groups. But he failed to persuade Papadopoulos to do so.
Source: Xinhua
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