Nicosia, Cyprus. Dipa leader Marios Garoyian accompanied his party’s candidates to register their candidacies in the Nicosia district on Wednesday morning but said he will not stand as a candidate himself. He said he had “mixed feelings” but described his decision as a “conscious choice” to give space to young people.
Garoyian on decision not to run
Garoyian, who has spent 15 of the last 20 years as an MP, said he will not stand in the election because it allows “young people to challenge and win”.
He said there are “tensions and intense suspicion” on the domestic front, adding that perpetuating the same problems consumes time and energy and produces counterproductive dialogue, creating anger and disappointment.
Candidate list and election message
Garoyian said Dipa is “submitting a diverse list” of candidates “with people from different paths”.
“We know that society and citizens are not interested in big words, but in tangible results,” the 64-year-old Armenian Cypriot said, adding that “the history of Hellenism has clearly demonstrated that division leads to destruction”.
He said Dipa, which he described as “a sober, moderate faction of the centre,” is declaring its presence in the election.
“With determination, we will continue to contribute to social cohesion and the modernisation of the state. In the new parliament, we will decide wisely,” he said.
Polling and past result
Polling suggests that Dipa will not win any seats at the forthcoming election, though the party won four seats in 2021 at its first parliamentary electoral test.
What will you be watching for in Dipa’s performance at the forthcoming election?
