Disy sent a clear message on Sunday after Averof Neofytou announced his candidacy for the 2028 presidential elections, stressing that any bid for the party's presidential nomination must go through its statutory procedures. "The only route to claiming the Democratic Rally's nomination is the party's established statutory procedures," Disy said in a statement. The party said it operates on the basis of its charter and its collective decisions, and that anyone interested in running for President of the Republic has every right to do so. Referring to its former leader, Disy said Neofytou "knows the importance of procedures and collective decision-making". "This is not a matter of individuals. It is a matter of institutions, respect for our tens of thousands of members and the unity of the party," the statement said. Disy added that the rules would be followed and that decisions would be taken by the party's competent collective bodies and its members, in line with the charter.
Leadership meets on Monday
Disy's leadership will meet on Monday, as already scheduled, following on from last week's session. Neofytou announced his candidacy in a written statement on Sunday morning, saying the window of hope for the Cyprus problem had remained closed after the high-level contacts in New York. Earlier in the week, a source close to him said the decision had been taken "regardless of the procedures in Disy", and that it was up to the party to decide whether to support him. Neofytou himself avoided saying whether his candidacy would go through the party's internal procedures. Disy spokesman Onoufrios Koullas said on Sunday that it was "inconceivable" to him that the former leader could mean his candidacy might be outside Disy, and called on him to clarify his intentions as soon as possible.
