George Pamboridis made no secret of his political ambitions, leaving open the possibility of seeking the DISY nomination for the 2028 presidential elections and stating that he sees himself among the figures who could take part in a potential internal party contest.
'Averof Neophytou, Annita Demetriou and me'
Speaking on the ANT1live podcast, and asked to name three people he considers likely to seek the party's nomination, he replied: "Averof Neophytou, Annita Demetriou and me."
According to the broadcast on ANT1 on Thursday night, asked whether this means he already has the 2028 presidential elections in mind, Mr Pamboridis said the decision on such a candidacy passes through a specific process. The first question one must answer, he said, is whether they believe they have the qualifications to serve the office of President of the Republic.
"With all due respect and humbly, I believe I have those qualities required to serve the office," he said, adding, however, that he does not have "the access that the other two have".
The message from Nicosia
Referring to the recent parliamentary elections, he argued that the setback for DISY came from Nicosia and that the party must grasp the voters' message. The capital, he said, backed the Democratic Rally "for one last time", so that it continues to be the voice of the households that "carry the Cypriot economy on their shoulders".
Allegations of interference
Mr Pamboridis also made serious allegations about what he claims took place during the pre-election period, asserting that DISY officials contacted party voters and urged them not to vote for him.
"These things do no credit to a democratic party like DISY. If the leadership turns a deaf ear to what happened and does not deal with it, it will find it in front of it. The people of DISY are not fools. They would call me and say 'so-and-so called me and told me this'. If you want, I have it in writing too. This is nonsense, these things are criminal offences," he said.
His claims have not been independently verified, and there has been no response from the party at the time of publication.
