Alma party candidate distances herself from colleagues' comments on journalists

Maria Theristi, a candidate for the Alma movement in the Famagusta district, has publicly criticized her political colleagues Eirini Charalambidou and Nikoleta Tsikkini for their recent conduct towards journalists. The controversy arose following an episode on the 'Enimerosi Tora' show, where Charalambidou allegedly targeted presenter Stella Savva during a debate between Odysseas Michaelides and Nikolas Papadopoulos. Additionally, Tsikkini was criticized for disparaging journalist Kyriakos Pomiloridis, labeling his work as biased. Theristi stated that politicians are obligated to tolerate intense criticism according to ECHR jurisprudence and argued that attacking the press is contrary to political culture. She expressed personal discomfort regarding these interactions, noting her own background in journalism. Furthermore, Theristi revealed she declined a media appearance on Antenna due to these ongoing tensions within her party. She concluded by suggesting that her colleagues should focus their critique on political rivals rather than media figures.