Former DISY leader Averof Neofytou on Friday called on the President to press at the next EU summit for a review and lifting of the bloc’s energy sanctions on Russia, saying the United States had been right to ease measures on Russian oil.
Speaking at a news conference at his political office in Strovolos, his first public comments in a week, Neofytou said the European Commission must review its policy and Europe needed to show political realism. “We cannot continue to shoot ourselves in the foot,” he said.
He said he had been among the first to back sanctions against Russia when the war in Ukraine began, but that ordinary people’s lives were becoming unbearable. He said he did not retract his position that Russia’s invasion was illegal and unacceptable, and was not calling for all sanctions to be lifted.
Neofytou said rising prices were cumulative, with new increases piling on top of old ones, and that Cyprus had had the highest inflation in Europe over the past two months. Household costs were rising day by day while incomes were not keeping pace, he said, and with winter approaching families would struggle. Temporary relief measures were not enough, and the causes of high prices had to be tackled, starting with the cost of energy.
He said high prices were like the government winning the lottery. On fuel costing 100 euros, the government took 25, he said; if the cost rose to 150 euros, the state would take 52.50.
Taxes were already at a minimum, he said, noting that excise duty on fuel had been cut by eight cents a litre and that the government had been right to seek a relaxation of fiscal rules. Europe might not allow VAT to be cut to zero, he added. He said support should be targeted, not across the board, as there was no need to send a 100-euro payment to someone earning millions.
Of the two-thirds of society he said were struggling, one third could not make ends meet at all and the other found it hard by the 20th of the month. Party matters might interest journalists, he said, but energy costs affected everyone regardless of political affiliation.
Neofytou, who announced on 27 September that he would run for president, did not say clearly whether he would seek DISY’s nomination through the party’s internal procedures. Apart from a brief statement after Annita Demetriou withdrew from the race for the nomination, he had not commented publicly until Friday.
Asked whether he would seek the nomination, he said he had given a promise and a word of honour never to hurt his party or his fellow members, and that his message had been clear. Asked whether he would stand as an independent if he did not secure the nomination, he said he would not break his word of honour to never hurt his fellow members. He said he had been ready to collect nomination signatures three months ago and that his course did not depend on other circumstances.
He said he remained a member of DISY and respected the party, adding that he would answer questions on Demetriou’s withdrawal and the party next week.
