Averof Neofytou’s comments on the Cyprus problem, and his accusations against his own party over responsibility for the failure to reach a solution, were always likely to shock DISY. Party leadership discussed the matter at DISY’s Pindarou headquarters, and despite the disruption caused by the former party leader’s remarks, the prevailing view was to avoid open public conflict.
Neofytou’s public appearances and social media posts touched on two issues: the Cyprus problem and internal party matters. On the Cyprus problem, his comments took the form of pointed warnings. On internal party matters, his jabs at DISY leader Annita Demetriou were clear.
Angered the party leader
Sources close to the discussions at Pindarou told Phileleftheros that the accusations levelled against DISY over what Neofytou called wrong decisions on the Cyprus problem angered the party leader. A DISY official put it plainly: Demetriou is “furious” over Neofytou’s comments.
In his contested post on X, Neofytou wrote that the two traditional pro-solution forces, AKEL and DISY, both of which he said had also recently set the Cyprus problem aside out of fear of political cost, bear responsibility for wrong decisions on the issue. He said history would credit AKEL with rejecting the American-British-Canadian plan and the Annan Plan, and DISY with burying the Ghali ideas and the collapse of the Crans-Montana talks.
The party will resist the temptation
Although there was a temptation for the party to respond aggressively to the former leader’s comments, discussions held on Tuesday at senior level concluded that DISY would not do so, for now. The decision not to issue a public response appears to have been driven by the negative consequences such a move could have for the party itself.
Those who favoured staying silent on what were described as “Averof’s challenges” shared one concern: responding would push the party toward introspection.
This defensive stance applies for the current period, on condition that Neofytou does not make similar comments again in future. Party circles believe that, regardless, some of the issues he raised, not only on the Cyprus problem, will resurface if the former and current DISY leaders find themselves competing for the party’s nomination in the 2028 presidential election.
Shock, and unease over the remarks
Conversations over the past 24 hours with DISY officials, both senior and lower-ranking, showed general bewilderment. DISY officials were heard asking how Neofytou could be so “self-destructive.”
The remarks were seen as capable of only damaging Neofytou himself, given both their content and the manner in which he made them. Some officials questioned whether the former party leader could still hope to secure the nomination for 2028 after such comments.
Within DISY, the “burying the Ghali ideas” line stings hardest, seen as a kind of “original sin” that is difficult to forgive. The Crans-Montana accusation causes less friction, since Neofytou has made similar comments before.
More incidents expected
Beyond his comments on the Cyprus problem, Neofytou’s remarks about Demetriou herself are considered particularly sharp. On a podcast with Fidias Panayiotou, the former DISY leader revealed that he was the one who brought the head of Direct Democracy Cyprus to Demetriou’s office, in a visit he referred to directly: “The last time I was in the president’s office was with you,” he told Panayiotou.
Senior DISY officials confirm that meeting was aimed at securing Direct Democracy Cyprus’s support for Demetriou’s re-election as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
