FOREIGN agencies are interfering in the Cyprus problem using “psychological warfare” to secure a ‘Yes’ vote in the upcoming referenda, DIKO deputy Marios Matsakis insisted yesterday.
The outspoken deputy repeated warnings that large amounts of money were pouring into the country from foreign agencies in the US and the UK as part of efforts to sway the media and to buy newspaper opinions “generally to try and swing, mislead and change the opinions of the Cypriot people,” as he said on Friday.
In yesterday’s Alithia, the President of the Journalists’ Union, Andreas Kannaouros, said those who were claiming that members of the media are receiving money to serve other people’s agendas should come forward with evidence or retract their statements. DISY distanced themselves from the claims while DIKO’s acting head, Nicos Cleanthous, said if it was true that reporters were being paid off, this was a serious matter.
Matsakis explained this was not uncommon practice and had been going on for some time, but would intensify leading up to the referenda on the Annan plan in April.
“We have been seeing and will see an exaggeration of interference by foreign agencies. They have teams of people who are experts, psychologists and sociologists, on altering public opinion. In war, they use guns, here it’s called psychological warfare and it’s something that’s been used for a long time,” he said.
http://66.84.25.241/news/main.php?id=13105&cat_id=1