Former AKEL MP Kostas Kosta has alleged that he was the target of organised smear campaigns, defamatory rumours and sustained efforts to undermine him throughout his political career.
Speaking on the Press Café podcast on Lemesos TV, Kosta claimed that false allegations and personal attacks were circulated during the 2011 and 2016 election campaigns, as well as in subsequent years, damaging both his public image and family life.
According to Kosta, certain individuals within the party apparatus privately approached voters and portrayed him as “uneducated” and “illiterate” in an effort to weaken his candidacy.
He further alleged that attempts to discredit him extended beyond political criticism and targeted his personal reputation.
Allegations of domestic violence
Among the most serious claims raised by the former MP were allegations that false rumours had been spread suggesting he was violent towards his wife and had been forced to leave the family home. Kosta described the accusations as entirely unfounded and said they were deliberately circulated among families and voters in an attempt to undermine his personal and political credibility.
He claimed to have identified around 100 families in Limassol to whom the rumours had allegedly been conveyed.
Kosta also said the rumours had affected his family, recalling that his mother was frequently approached by acquaintances and fellow villagers who repeated the allegations, causing her significant emotional distress.
Ill health
He further claimed that his wife first became aware of the rumours through a telephone call from a mutual acquaintance who relayed what was being said.
The former MP said that negative characterisations and criticism of his professional and political abilities were also circulated during his election campaigns.
Kosta additionally referred to a serious period of ill health during which he was bedridden for approximately five months. He alleged that even during that time false speculation circulated regarding his absence from public life.
'Underground war'
Addressing suggestions that he could have continued his political career as an independent candidate or with another party, Kosta said there were three main reasons he chose not to do so.
Firstly, he said he considered the views of ordinary left-wing supporters who were unaware of internal party dynamics. Secondly, he argued that the path of an individual MP outside a larger political structure is particularly difficult. Thirdly, he referred to experiences and circumstances that had deeply affected him, describing what he characterised as an “underground war” within the political and party environment.
