Interview with AKEL Secretariat member Giorgos Koukoumas
Sunday 17 August 2025 HARAVGI newspaper
Truly progressive answers demand clashing with powerful interests
At a time of political uncertainty and social pressure, Giorgos Koukoumas, member of the Central Secretariat of AKEL, talks about all the big issues in his interview with ‘Haravgi’ newspaper.
● “Cypriot society is experiencing an explosive contradiction. On the one hand, there are the excessive profits of big companies and the increased state revenues being recorded due to the austerity imposed and on the other, the pressing high cost of living.”
● “DISY’s saying one thing and doing another is a symptom of the long-standing contradictions of the Greek Cypriot Right-wing, which are still simmering today.”
● “As long as the Erdogan-Tatar duo insists on the demand for a two state solution, neither can progress be recorded, nor a meaningful discussion be conducted.”
QUESTION: Recently, there has been a shift from parties towards nationalist or nationalistic rhetoric. For example, the recent statement issued by the President of DISY that “we must not have any discord among ourselves, but with those opposite us,” as well as the reappearance of Anastasiades with warnings to the DISY leadership. Would you like to comment on this?
GK: On the one hand, DISY President Annita Dimitriou, who was supposed to bring something modern and new to political life, has ended up competing with far-right ELAM in patriotic jingoism/sloganeering and populism. She seems to have forgotten that our enemy is not our Turkish Cypriot compatriots, but rather the Turkish occupation.
On the other hand, there is the theory of “new realism” espoused by former DISY deputy President Harris Georgiadis, which openly promotes compromise with partition, i.e., the definitive surrender of half of Cyprus to Turkey. A theory whose path, of course, was paved by Anastasiades himself when he discussed a two state solution with Turkey.
This double talk of saying one thing but doing another is symptomatic of the long-standing contradictions of the Greek Cypriot Right, which are still simmering today. However, they lead to the same end result: occupation and partition will remain with us forever. As for Nicos Anastasiades, who, instead of accounting for the corruption during his decade-long in power, comes out and delivers lessons in patriotism, the word “audacity” is perhaps not enough.
QUESTION: Since you mention the Cyprus problem, what should be the priority of the Greek Cypriot side with a view to the resumption of the negotiations?
GK: Despite the fact that the whole effort on the Cyprus problem is being kept alive, but without any tangible steps forward. Obviously, as long as the Erdogan-Tatar duo insists on the demand for a two state solution, neither can progress be recorded, nor any meaningful discussion be conducted. The October vote for the assumption of the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community may provide a new perspective, but that remains to be seen.
We as AKEL insist that the way to restore hope surrounding the Cyprus problem is for the talks to resume from the point where they had left off (at Crans Montana) That is to say where, as everyone acknowledges, we were within a breath away from a solution to the Cyprus problem based on principles being achieved. By consolidating the convergences that had been agreed upon so far and by completing the negotiations on the outstanding issues on the basis of the Guterres Framework.
This is AKEL’s position. Anyone who has a more effective way to prevent the permanent partition of Cyprus should come forward and tell us.
QUESTION: Let’s move on to another issue. A series of government actions that have been taken, as seen in the recent fires, have been populist in nature and orientated towards serving communication experiences. How concerned are you, as AKEL, that citizens are often prone to populism?
GK: Populism is widespread. Both in Cyprus and around the world. In politics, in the mass media and in social networking. However we need to first of all explain what populism actually is. For example, the government considers the popular demand for the resignation of Ministers responsible for the tragic handling of the most devastating fire in the history of our state to be “populism.”
But the government ruling forces do not consider President Christodoulides’ staged speeches to be populism. Or furthermore that the government—and the banks, of course too —consider AKEL’s proposal for former deputy president he taxation of the banks in order to provide support to people by ensuring unaffordable mortgages to be “populism.”
However, they don’t consider the misleading figures presented by the government to convince people that wages have increased, when workers are experiencing exactly the opposite, to be populism.
Populism, therefore, is not the concerns and demands of the people, as cultivated by the systemic forces and their mouthpieces in the mass media. Populism is lies and dishonesty in politics.
This is where AKEL differs from the rest. Whether one agrees or disagrees with AKEL, no one can accuse it of hiding or changing its positions. Even those that do not “bring in votes,” that go against the tide/dominant narrative. Whether this refers to AKEL’s consistency to the goal of reunification, our opposition to racism and nationalism, our proposal for a different economic development for the country, or our opposition to the Christodoulides government’s subservience to the genocidal Netanyahu regime.
This attitude of honesty and consistency is – and must be – self-evident for the Left. And this stance, sooner or later, is appreciated by the people.
QUESTION: It is widely acknowledged that many people did not and will not take a vacation this year due to financial difficulties. However, the government insists on presenting figures instead of the admitting people’s real situation. As AKEL, you have submitted a number of proposals. Has there been any movement on the part of the government?
GK: It is not just financial difficulties that are preventing people from going on vacation. Cypriot society is experiencing an explosive conflict.
On the one hand, there are the profits and super-profits of the big companies and the increased state revenues accumulated due to the ongoing price increases/expensiveness.
On the other hand, there is the high cost of living that is putting pressure on the majority of society, the stagnant wages of workers, and young couples who cannot afford to buy a home.
To find truly progressive answers to these problems, hard choices a fierce struggle to decisively challenge powerful interests must be waged. There must be a clash with big business interests. The Christodoulides government is not only unwilling to engage in such a clash, but is only interested in serving those interests.
I would highlight three major priorities for AKEL, which we will pursue even more urgently and decisively in the coming period.
First, to put a stop— through AKEL’s legislative proposals — to the rampant purchase of land and real estate by wealthy foreigners, which is exacerbating the housing crisis.
Second, to translate economic growth into real improvements in working people’s incomes, with the extension of the Automatic Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) to cover the entire private sector, an increase in the minimum wage, and the extension of collective agreements.
And thirdly, to tax the exorbitant profits of the banks and renewable energy companies, as well as the taxation of accumulated wealth, in order to finance the implementation of bold social policies for the overwhelming majority of our people.
● AKEL is establishing itself in society as the only effective opposition force
QUESTION: After its Congress, what is the main political message that AKEL wants to convey in view of the upcoming parliamentary elections? Will the Party take new measures to open up?
GK: AKEL emerged from the Congress renewed, united, and determined to strengthen the presence of the Left at all levels and in all fields. Recent opinion polls, however fluid the situation may be, reveal that the work already done is bearing fruit.
AKEL is establishing itself in the consciousness of society as the only effective opposition force and, at the same time, it is reaffirming itself as the force that is primarily concerned with the problems of the working people and the middle class. This shows the way forward.
We must continue to build the Social Alliance with people from the progressive spectrum of the country and, at the same time, move forward with a decisive opening to young people and the people of labour, with our assertions concerning the major social problems of the country at the forefront.
