With a review of the work they had accomplished during the first ten months of their participation in Nikos Christodoulides’ government, the four ministers who were replaced during the reshuffle have stepped down.
Michalis Giorgallas, Anna Koukkides-Procopiou, Petros Xenofontos, and Popi Kanari, in their final act before leaving, highlighted the work they have carried out during the past ten months.
They did not hide their displeasure, as they were the first to be replaced in the reshuffle.
By prioritizing the work carried out during their participation in the government, they wanted to show President Christodoulides that he unjustly removed them.
Indicative of their discontent is that two of the four, Anna Koukkides-Procopiou and Popi Kanari, avoided making any reference to President Christodoulides.
Petros Xenofontos made a formal reference at the end of his speech during the handover ceremony at the Ministry of Agriculture, while only Michalis Giorgallas, in his departing speech from the Ministry of Defense, thanked the President for the opportunity to serve as Defense Minister.
“Despite my short tenure and my sudden replacement, I proudly and with satisfaction declare that the mission was successfully accomplished,” stated Michalis Giorgallas, adding that during his tenure, he faithfully adhered to what conscience, principles, and the values of independent personal cost imposed on him, with a permanent concern for the defense of the homeland and the security of citizens.
Anna Koukkides-Procopiou mentioned during the ceremony at the Ministry of Justice and Public Order that she feels comfortable with her conscience, “because I performed the task assigned to me with all my might.”
She indicated that in matters concerning her ministry, “and which we were called upon to implement in just 10 months, we managed to immediately implement and within 2023, or even initiate for implementation in 2024, 70% of the programmatic announcements of the five-year term of the new government that fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice and Public Order.”
Petros Xenofontos, handing over the Ministry of Agriculture, recorded what was achieved during his tenure and added: “I worked with zeal, honesty, and dedication, betting with myself to solve problems and promote all the actions of the Government for the benefit of farmers, breeders, the countryside, and the whole of Cyprus.”
Popi Kanari, in her public account (which came 24 hours after the written submission of actions she gave to the President at their last meeting), said she worked with zeal and passion and that she handed over the keys to the ministry “with pride.”
Referring to her ten months at the Ministry of Health, she said that they managed to achieve a lot and specifically succeeded, of the 77 actions set by President Christodoulides in his Governance Program, in implementing 26 actions in their entirety. Additionally, she stated that another 16 actions out of the total 77 were implemented at a rate of 75%, and 22 actions at a rate of 50%.
Responding to the question of the reasons for his resignation, Philippos Hadjizacharias said with the word “dignity,” stating that his relationship with the President of the Republic is excellent.
The outgoing Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy characterized the staff of his ministry as a “family,” asked them to support his successor, and expressed his availability to Nikodemos Damianou.
Mr. Hadjizacharias, speaking at the handover ceremony, called the staff of his ministry his fellow travelers for the past 10 months.
“I look you in the eyes and tell you with all my sincerity and the love I have for you, thank you for everything.” He asked them to support the new Deputy Minister.
He referred to the attack on the Land Registry “from the beginning of my assumption of duties,” the leakage of a large amount of water into the state server room, and the postponement of the citizen service line.
