It's not just anything goes in government appointments, was the President's response to criticism of the recent reshuffling being a random assortment of heterogeneous personalities.
'We're not 'aktarmas,' Christodoulides noted, returning the reshuffling expression of opposition remarks, a Turkish derived Cypriot dialect word, which essentially means switching between around people all the time, without having a homogeneous direction.
He underscored that his administration had a clear ideological and political framework, namely social liberalism, therefore the individual selection process, but what's more, the decisions made in all sectors, reflect that framework.
Following a meeting this morning with coalition Socialist EDEK leader Andreas Anastasiou, who had expressed displeasure with the 'way the President handled the reshuffling,' after presumably passing on EDEK for DIKO and DIPA officials, the President had a simple enough answer:-
'All's well. Associates can have different interpretations at times, but what's more important is to exchange views freely', all's well, he concluded, as 'we move on.'
Commenting on the appointment of Justice Minister Costas Fytiris and opposition criticism that this was a move to the extreme right wing side, namely ELAM, also stemming from the fact that the party was represented at the swearing in ceremony on Monday, Christodoulides said he did not expect the opposition to say something positive about the reshuffling.
'I also believe that the overwhelming majority of the Cypriot people did not expect the opposition to speak positively on the reshuffling, particularly in the current juncture of the upcoming parliamentary elections,' he added.
The President he was really happy that the responsible fiscal policy of his administration, allowed him targeted investment on social policy, education, health and housing, as he announced a plan to build 500 new homes in Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos, to the tune of 70 million euro.
Asked whether the new ministers will be ready and updated, three weeks prior to taking over the EU Presidency, he responded 'Yes, of course, absolutely ready'.
SOURCE-CNA