Stefanou downplays Yiasemides for Akel, says he only saw him in a photo

Akel general secretary Stefanos Stefanou has denied that the party made any approach to economist Tassos Yiasemides, saying he had only seen the KPMG partner in a photograph and would recognise him at a social event because of it. Speaking on Politis radio on Monday, Stefanou said neither he nor any other member of the Akel leadership had contacted Yiasemides regarding a possible presidential candidacy. He said no list of candidates had been drawn up and that names would be discussed only after talks with other parties. Reports last week had tipped Yiasemides as having been put forward at a meeting with Akel leadership on the recommendation of former Edek leader Nikos Anastasiou. Yiasemides, who heads the economics department at KPMG Cyprus, neither confirmed nor denied the reports at the time. “I read them, I hear them, but there is nothing I have to say at the moment,” he said. Stefanou also did not rule out standing himself in the 2028 election, saying the option was “within the party’s field of vision”. He said Akel’s priority was to agree a common programme with other forces before turning to names, with the aim of backing a candidate around whom as many parties as possible could gather. “Any candidate would need to meet requirements on the Cyprus problem, the economy and society”, he said. Akel will begin a round of contacts with opposition parties, including Alma, the Ecologists and Edek, whose conference is due in December. Stefanou said dialogue with Diko was not excluded but faced two difficulties, those being that Diko is a main supporter of a government whose policies Akel opposes, and its current leadership “has moved significantly to the right in recent years”. On Andreas Mavroyiannis, the party’s last candidate in 2023, Stefanou said his announcement that he would run regardless of Akel’s decision did not affect the party, as he was an independent figure. “Akel had kept in touch with him since the last election and would not oblige anyone to follow a set choice”, he said. Stefanou rejected suggestions that Akel was late in preparing for the vote, retorting that it was other parties who have “rushed, pushing the country into a premature and prolonged campaign” more than 16 months before the election.