‘I have a right to speak my mind’
By Alexia Saoulli

Archbishop on the defence over criticisms of his political meddling

ARCHBISHOP Chrysostomos II yesterday refuted criticisms that he was trying to divide the people of Cyprus with his political views and questioned why efforts were being made to gag him.

“We do not doubt the president’s role but is it forbidden for the Archbishop in particular to express his opinion? Why are they so bothered, I don’t understand?”

The clergyman was referring to strong reactions from AKEL and DISY following his speech at Athens University on Wednesday night to mark the anniversary of July 9, 1821.

Among other things, the Archbishop criticised the island’s political leadership over its handling of the Cyprus problem and for repeated failures to take advantage of its position as a European Union member.

“I know what the people want but sometimes the people are asleep when the leadership is not vigilant. There is a risk of indifference and everyone has to be on national alert,” he said.

AKEL spokesman Andros Kyprianou expressed his sadness over the Archbishop’s reaction and reminded the clergyman that it had been Archbishop Makarios who had made the painful compromise of a bizonal, bicommunal federation in 1977.

“If he considers him to be a traitor he should come out and say that clearly,” Kyprianou said.

But Chrysostomos said he had taken over from Archbishop Chrysostomos I and not Makarios. He also said Chrysostomos I had been directly opposed to the acceptance of a federal solution.

“Because the entire political leadership accepted a federation and so that the people of Cyprus would not be divided, it is with great pain that the Church and Archbishop accepted a federation. As Chrysostomos Demetriou I wouldn’t want to accept it,” he said.

The Church leader said the right to speak his mind was one supported by the Synod and that he had its backing in his views.

Kyprianou said a number of Synod members did not share the Archbishop’s views and had made this clear during the presidential election campaigns when Chrysostomos had come out in support of former President Tassos Papadopoulos.

He added: “He spoke of the need for national alertness and no one disagrees with him. But I wonder if he goes on TV and says we shouldn’t be concerned about partition. He is trying to prepare public opinion that partition is hone of the choices we can have. Is this being nationally alert?”

On his part, DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades yesterday sought to appease the situation.

Speaking to reporters he said the Archbishop had the right to express his opinion but not to anathematise politics in general or to assume that when politicians responded they were trying to deny him that right.

“We are not about to start a row with the Archbishop, nor was this the intention,” he said.

Anastassiades said Chrysostomos II had chosen in Athens to attack the island’s political force in its entirety, including former President Tassos Papadopoulos for failing to exploit Cyprus’ presence in Europe.

Just as the clergyman had the right to express his opinion, so too did politicians, the DISY leader said.

“We have the right, in a European country where the responsibility of handling political issues is held by political forces, not only to defend politicians we believe will benefit the country but also to respond to those who with great ease speak aphoristically,” he said.

‘We aren’t exploiting our EU membership’

DURING HIS speech on Wednesday night Chrysostomos said Cyprus’ EU accession had not been fully exploited.

Instead, he said a myth had been created that a benevolent Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat and “dinners and social meetings would solve the problem”.

The Archbishop referred to the Greek Cypriot side’s self-imprisonment which he said would suffer painful losses. He also went on to say ethnic cleansing was under way and that for the first time the term Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot constituent state was being used.

The clergyman rejected any notion of parthenogenesis and expressed his opposition to the opening of checkpoints to the occupied areas as it only served Turkey’s financial interests, weakening third parties’ ability to exert pressure on the Islamic state.

Chrysostomos went a step further and suggested examining closing all checkpoints if the arrival of Turkish settlers in the north failed to stop.

The Archbishop also included Greece in his tirade and said Greek Cypriots had often been abandoned in their hour of need.

Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008