Lillikas denies ELAM links

PRESIDENTIAL candidate Giorgos Lillikas yesterday dismissed as a cheap political stunt allegations that his election staff includes members of nationalist groups.
Speaking at a gathering in Limassol on Monday night, AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou claimed Lillikas' staff was "dominated by ultra-rightist elements, who have joined forces with him due to his extremist positions on the Cyprus problem."
Kyprianou said these elements consisted of members of the nationalist group ELAM and its Greek counterpart Chrysi Avgi as well as students with far-right leanings.
"Yet at the same time he [Lillikas] is making overtures to AKEL supporters seeking out their vote," Kyprianou said.
Hitting back yesterday, Lillikas challenged Kyprianou to "name just one" person affiliated to ELAM or Chrysi Avgi who is part of his election staff.
Lillikas in turn accused AKEL of trying to mislead its own voters and the broader public. He said the allegations were a desperate effort by the ruling party to create scaremongering in order to "pinch a couple of votes here and there."
The two camps have repeatedly exchanged accusations of vote-pinching.
Polls project a tough battle between Lillikas and AKEL-backed candidate Stavros Malas for second place in the first round of the upcoming general elections.
The latest survey commissioned by state broadcaster CyBC gave DISY's Nicos Anastasiades a comfortable lead with 36.8 per cent, followed by Malas with 22.8 per cent and Lillikas with 18.9 per cent.
Lillikas is officially backed by socialist party EDEK, but his support base is believed to encompass voters affiliated to the so-called 'in between space' - in particular DIKO and the European Party.
Lillikas began his political career as an aide to former president George Vasiliou, who came to power in 1988 with the support of communist AKEL. He was later elected MP on an AKEL ticket and appointed Commerce Minister during the Papadopoulos administration in which AKEL was a coalition partner.
He was later appointed Foreign Minister, a post he held until AKEL left the government coalition to run for the presidency with Christofias as its candidate in 2008.
Lillikas disagreed with the move and left the AKEL fold to support Papadopoulos, who lost the election to Christofias, a development which pushed Lillikas out of the political arena for over two years.