Former Health Minister Giorgos Pamboridis will raise concerns on Friday before DISY’s Political Bureau over the timetable proposed for the party’s internal process to select its candidate for the 2028 presidential election.
Pamboridis has left open the possibility of seeking the nomination himself, saying he will listen to the positions and reactions of party officials before making a final decision over the weekend.
Pamboridis calls for more time
Speaking on Politis radio 107.6 and 97.6 on Morning Briefing with Katerina Eliadi, Pamboridis strongly disagreed with what he described as a rushed process.
“Why this haste? Is there really a need for such rushed procedures?” he asked.
He argued that prospective candidates should be given sufficient time both to present their positions and vision and to engage with party members.
Pamboridis said he does not have the advantage of being a “professional politician with a long presence in the party machinery” and would need time to visit the districts and speak with voters.
He stressed that his candidacy should not be considered certain. He will first present his objections to the Political Bureau, assess the circumstances and then decide during the weekend whether to seek the nomination.
Pamboridis criticises Christodoulides
Pamboridis also criticised President Nicos Christodoulides over his relationship with DISY.
He said Christodoulides “left the party in 2023” and had “recently remembered that he is a DISY supporter”, returning, according to Pamboridis, to appeal to the party’s voters ahead of the presidential election.
Pamboridis clarified that he did not consider Christodoulides’ decision to contest the presidency outside party procedures to have been unethical.
“He placed himself outside the party mechanism, appealed to the wider electorate and was elected president. Good for him, fair play to him,” he said.
What concerned him, he said, was what he described as an attempt to “have it both ways”.
“You cannot conduct politics with this approach of ‘I go with sails and I go with an engine’. It is not ethically right,” he said.
He argued that those wishing to maintain a political relationship with DISY voters should operate within the structures of an organised party.
‘Toxic’ atmosphere within DISY
The former health minister was also sharply critical of the current situation within DISY, describing the atmosphere as “toxic” and referring to internal conflict.
“There has been introversion within the party since 2023 that simply will not go away. It is obvious that everyone is going their own way,” he said.
Pamboridis argued that the fundamental objective of rebuilding DISY into a serious political force had been lost.
“We are projecting an image that is not only unserious, but also unfairly gives the party the stain of being a free-for-all,” he said.
Looking at the party’s trajectory, Pamboridis said its current position was among the lowest points he could remember.
“This is the responsibility of all of us,” he said.
He argued that DISY must reclaim its role as a leading political force and present society with a comprehensive proposal for government.
Appeal to Neofytou and Demetriou
Pamboridis renewed his appeal to former DISY president Averof Neofytou and current party president Annita Demetriou to engage in joint consultations.
He said he had already called around a month and a half ago for discussions between them, adding: “I don’t believe we have anything to divide us.”
Referring specifically to Neofytou, Pamboridis said he understood the bitterness he may feel over events surrounding the 2023 presidential election.
He added, however, that “political leaders do not allow personal feelings to affect their political judgement”.
“There are responsibilities for all of us. We must rise above personal feelings,” Pamboridis said.
He reiterated that the objective should be for DISY to once again become the foundation of a comprehensive proposal for government.
