Cypriot politicians and officials claim that austerity measures and losses on citizens’ bank deposits imposed by international creditors won’t make voters boycott the European elections on May 25.
Alexandra Attalides, a Cypriot and acting head of the European Parliament office, stated that “people aren’t convinced by politicians blaming foreigners for all the wrongdoings,” adding that the Cypriots won’t turn their backs on Europe.
“Cypriots remain strongly pro-Europe despite the clearly unjust treatment and lack of solidarity by fellow Europeans last year,” claimed Stelios Platis, an economist and independent election candidate for the party ‘Message of Hope’. Platis pointed out that the Cypriot economy collapsed because of the inertia and corruption of the government.
In 2013 Cyprus received a 10 billion-euro (13.7 billion dollars) aid package from its European partners and the International Monetary Fund in order to avoid financial collapse in return for measures including forced losses on deposits of over 100,000 euros at the country’s two largest banks, and capital controls.
A poll conducted by pollsters IMR for state-run RIK TV showed that the Democratic Rally (DISY) will place first in the elections, keeping two of Cyprus’s six European Parliament seats with an estimated 34.4%, while the main opposition left-wing Akel stands at 21.5%.
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