Philenews

Nikolas Papadopoulos: Candidates of Direct Democracy Should Not Be Excluded

Published March 19, 2026, 12:17
Nikolas Papadopoulos: Candidates of Direct Democracy Should Not Be Excluded

Nikolas Papadopoulos, president of DIKO, submitted evidence to the Ministry of Interior regarding candidates of the Direct Democracy party who have either been investigated or are being investigated for criminal offenses. According to Mr. Papadopoulos, there are more than three such candidates. However, he stated that he does not believe they should be excluded, as the conditions set by the Constitution for exclusion have not been met. Mr. Papadopoulos emphasized that the evidence comes from publications and information provided to him by citizens, and called on Direct Democracy to answer all the questions that arise. He noted that the Constitution requires the offense to involve “moral depravity” in order to be excluded, and that even a conviction for drug trafficking does not constitute grounds for exclusion if it has not been issued by a Cypriot court. Mr. Papadopoulos stressed that the issue is political and not legal, and that DIKO is entitled to have an opinion on the candidates of Direct Democracy as well as on all candidates. He believed that candidates, beyond being role models for society, should be able to make decisions on important issues such as crime fighting and the protection of vulnerable groups. In summary, Mr. Papadopoulos argued that all candidates should have the right to run for office, leaving the political dialogue to judge their suitability, and that the discussion should focus on who will decide on important issues affecting society.