Nicosia, Cyprus. Former health minister George Pamboridis said on Friday that he will seek Disy’s nomination for the 2028 presidential election. He named Averof Neophytou, Annita Demetriou and himself as figures he believes will pursue the party’s nomination.
Pamboridis confirms intention to seek nomination
Speaking on television channel Ant1’s podcast, Pamboridis said he believed he had the credentials to serve as president.
“What can I hide? Give me a second to explain myself. Deciding whether to run for president has a process. First, it has a theoretical and a practical process … Do you believe that you can become president and do the job? You have the ability. With all due respect and humility, I believe that I have the credentials to serve in the position,” he said.
He added, however, that he does not have the access enjoyed by the other two people he mentioned.
Demetriou responds
Later on Friday, Demetriou was asked about Pamboridis’ intention and said his interest in becoming the party’s nominee was “legitimate”.
Pamboridis’ political record
Pamboridis served as health minister under former president Nicos Anastasiades from July 2015 until the 2018 presidential election, when he was replaced by Constantinos Ioannou, now interior minister.
During his tenure, he oversaw most of the negotiations between the government and the House health committee over the creation of Gesy. The laws establishing the system were passed by parliament in June 2017.
After leaving office in 2018, he stepped back from frontline politics and returned in May this year, when he was elected as an MP.
Position within Disy
At present, party leader and House President Annita Demetriou appears the most likely Disy nominee for the 2028 election after strengthening her position following a better-than-expected result in May’s parliamentary election.
She later secured the support of social media influencer Fidias Panayiotou’s Direct Democracy Cyprus party and of Diko to win a second term as House president, after negotiating with the former and forcing the latter to choose between her and Akel’s Stefanos Stefanou in the second-round House vote.
