Dear colleagues thank you very much for your very interesting responses on the subject below.

I have a few observations to make before shifting gear and entering a new subject. I can’t help but noticing an underlying, and in some cases flat-out, feeling of pessimism in some of the reactions posted, particularly when discussing the overwhelming role of the political parties in Cyprus in the political process.

There is an almost fatalistic point view in respect to the acceptance of the role of the parties. And I say almost fatalistic because there was a ray of hope in all of these statements. George spoke, among other things, of a mesh of political and economic interests in the case of some parties in Cyprus. Es, referred to the manipulation of citizens for reasons of political expedience and power control rather than anything else. Panos wandered whether there is a need for a greater threat of some kind for things to change. On the other hand, I note Giorgakis call for citizen power and Michalis comment on the active involvement of many "civil society" groups he experiences. Firfiris elaborate reply to Hellenic nationalist concerns strengthens the arguments for the need of greater dialogue.

One last thing about citizen groups, however. These organized interests – like any other lobbying effort – have to go through the existing political parties in order to pursue their interests, but if more and more of these specific issue groups are formed maybe a critical mass of independent civil society organizations can create a political watershed. Also, it would have been interesting to see whether these organized issue-specific interests can entice citizens away from traditional political parties and place them in a large pool of independent voters especially in view of the "leveling effect" that the application of free market economics and democracy has on 19th and 20th Century ideologies. In short, what difference does it make if one votes for the Left or for the Right if such descriptions don't describe reality and don't correspond to one's daily life experiences, challenges and concerns? Will that, consequently, turn us all to the other extreme where an apolitical and in essence barbaric corporatist approach will define the nature of our political participation all the way down to the individual level? Maybe in Cyprus we have done just that a long time ago where the parties and politicians, unfortunately are used by the citizens as mere mediums for access when it comes to very specific individualistic needs.