Former Greens MP Alexandra Attalides on Monday announced she is joining the newly-found party Volt Cyprus.
In an announcement, Αttalides said: “When I entered politics two years ago, I had set myself the goal of contributing to the modernisation of the state, contributing to the fight against corruption, standing against the far right, whose influence was constantly increasing, and demanding a better and reunited place, and mainly to give a voice to a part of society that felt the existing situation does not express their will.”
The MP highlighted the pressing issues facing Cyprus, including climate change, migration, corruption, the unresolved national problem, and the rise of the far right. She emphasised the need for new approaches, stating, “We still have a long way to go before we can say this country is changing… [and] cannot be tackled by repeating old practices.”
She expressed concern over the disengagement of citizens from the democratic process, attributing current crises to “years of reckless action. Bad party appointments, an unscrupulous client state… and of our reluctance to carry out reforms we should have made decades ago.”
Highlighting the societal challenges, Attalides remarked, “The decline of society can only be dealt with if we deal with its causes: the absence of the rule of law, the lack of institutional checks and balances, the problematic functioning of the justice systems and independent institutions which make each President and Attorney-general almost uncontrollable, the lack of transparency and accountability, and the ingrained sense of injustice.”
She called for a long-term commitment to social justice in combination with economic stability and development. Attalides stressed the need to abandon populist politics, confront racist rhetoric, and demonstrate zero tolerance for corruption. She also included sustainable development and the establishment of the rule of law as priorities.
Addressing the challenges of poverty, inflation, and environmental degradation, she said, “We can no longer continue to ignore the impoverishment of a significant proportion of our citizens as a result of inflation and wage stagnation. We cannot in the name of development destroy our environment without considering the costs we levy on future generations.”
Concluding her statement, Attalides underlined her decision to join Volt Cyprus, noting, “It is for this reason that I have decided to join Volt Cyprus – a European party, with young people, modern ideas, and structures, which has at its forefront the wellbeing and dignity of the public, human rights, the protection of the planet from climate change, and with which we are united by the same goals and the same vision for Cyprus and Europe.”
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