Controversy over verbal attacks on journalists by Almas party officials

On Thursday, May 14, 2026, Eirini Charalambidou, a parliamentary candidate for the Almas party, launched a public attack against journalist Stella Savva via social media during a televised debate. The debate featured Almas leader Odysseas Michaelides, who spoke for 38 minutes, and DIKO leader Nikolas Papadopoulos, who spoke for 20 minutes. The Democratic Party (DIKO) issued a statement condemning the attack as unacceptable and calling for a public apology from Almas, alleging that the party is attempting to cover up the incident. The Cyprus Journalists Union (ESK) also expressed concern regarding the hostile environment toward media professionals. Furthermore, Maria Theristi, another Almas candidate and former journalist, publicly distanced herself from Charalambidou and fellow official Nikoleta Tsikkini, who was also accused of attacking journalist Kyriakos Pomiloridis. Theristi cited the European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence, stating that politicians must endure criticism and that such attacks do not reflect political culture. DIKO officials further criticized Charalambidou for previously refusing to attend a scheduled debate on the Cyprus issue, suggesting the party seeks to avoid public scrutiny of its positions.