Maria Karystianou has fired back amid a wave of mass resignations from her party, “Hope for Democracy,” declaring defiantly: “I will not accept blackmail.”
Speaking on MEGA television on Monday morning (10/8), Karystianou also called on Mr. Avgerinos to provide evidence, saying: “I expect Mr. Avgerinos to give us proof — to prove it publicly, at the very least.” She also spoke of an alleged “undercurrent” operating within the party ranks. “Mr. Avgerinos insisted on a specific course of action. He came to us on his own — we didn’t seek him out,” she stressed.
More specifically, she stated: “Are there resignations in other parties? Yes, there are — there always will be. Everyone is welcome. But not everyone who joined did so in good faith. Smearing and mud-slinging is what the system does, and it raises questions. We have not deviated from our red lines even by a fraction — and perhaps that is the problem. Our goal was never just a movement, but something far greater: the restructuring of this country.”
“The system cannot easily allow that goal to be achieved. We want to hold people accountable — and possibly see them go to prison,” Karystianou added.
“We have Political Council members and we make decisions collectively,” she said, while also noting that some individuals involved are simply “casual acquaintances” whom she does not personally know. “Some may have thought that because we are women, they could manage us — change us,” she pointedly remarked.
“They come to us to take photos, and then the system approaches them, and a few days later they announce they’re leaving. The man who resigned yesterday — I have never met him. He has contributed nothing,” she noted.
“We are not handing out roles, we are not handing out positions. We were created to act. By the end of August, there will be a comprehensive party programme,” Karystianou concluded.
