Political tension escalates between Finance Minister Keravnos and DIKO

Tensions escalated in Cyprus on September 22, 2026, following a public exchange between Finance Minister Makis Keravnos and DIKO president Nikos Papadopoulos. The disagreement centers on the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) project, with Papadopoulos questioning why the Minister remains in office while reportedly disagreeing with President Nikos Christodoulides’ support for the project. Papadopoulos had accused the government of mixed signals, noting that while the President promotes the interconnection, the Minister has criticized it.

In response, Minister Keravnos dismissed the inquiry about his resignation as "political nonsense" and characterized the comments by the DIKO president as "obsessive." Keravnos asserted his focus remains on substantive national issues, while noting that his position ultimately depends on the President of the Republic. He further declared his support for President Christodoulides for any future candidacy.

DIKO subsequently issued a formal statement condemning the Minister’s dismissive tone, arguing that his comments degrade the quality of public discourse. The party defended its role in the country’s economic recovery, citing its support for financial policies that led to recent credit rating upgrades. DIKO clarified that it had not explicitly demanded the Minister's resignation but had queried the consistency of his stance regarding a project the party deems critical.