His resignation has been accepted by President Nicos Anastasiades.
Interior Minister Socrates Hasikos resigns
Interior Minister Socrates Hasikos has announced his resignation from government, which has been accepted by President Nicos Anastasiades.
A visibly emotional Hasikos confirmed to reporters after Wednesday’s cabinet meeting that he had indeed tendered his resignation to the President following the serious illness of his wife Elli Koulermou.
This had taken a toll on him, said a visibly shaken Hasikos who was appointed interior minister by Anastasiades back in March 2013.
The President has asked him to stay in office for another 15 days, but the government spokesman later on Wednesday dismissed speculation that a wider cabinet reshuffle is on the cards.
Hasikos, a lawyer by trade, has also served as defence minister of Cyprus and was a former ruling Disy MP.
“I spoke with the President last night [Tuesday], not today [Wednesday] during the cabinet meeting. I have handed in my resignation. It is well known that my family is going through some rough times in the last nine months.”
Hasikos’ wife Elli is currently battling a serious illness with rumours having been rife in the last few months that he wanted to step down from his role in government.
“I have tried many times to be honest with the President. I had told him three other times that I wanted to resign. He did not accept.”
The 61-year-old added: “But today, and based on the whole situation, I am left with no other choice. On the one hand, there is the Government, the Ministry, the excellent relationship with the President, but on the other hand there is my family.”
Apart from his role minister and MP, Hasikos also served as deputy parliamentary spokesperson of Disy, rotating Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Contacts between the Government, the House of Representatives and the Cyprus Civil Servants Trade Union as well as deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Development Plans and Public Expenditure Control.
He also served as member of the Parliamentary Committees on Defence Affairs and Legal Affairs as well as Vice-President of Disy. At present, he is a member of the Disy Executive Bureau.
Hasikos, who also has two sons and a daughter with Elli, has also served as President of AlfaMediaGroup.
