Eleven candidates officially submitted their nominations in total on Friday at the official nomination process for the forthcoming February 17 Presidential elections.

For the first time in the history of Presidential elections in Cyprus, two women have joined the race for the Presidential office.

The nomination process started at the Hilton, in Nicosia at 09.00 and was completed at 12.00 with Presidential candidates submitting their nominations every 15 minutes.

Candidates were obliged to hand over a deposit of € 1,710 as fee. Rules in place also provided for candidates to be officially proposed by one voter and supported by eight others.

Once their official nomination was submitted each candidate proceeded to make a statement addressing the electorate and stating the reasons they should entrust them with their vote on February 17.

Apart from the eleven nominations submitted one more citizen arrived at the Hilton wishing to submit his nomination but did not manage to do so as he did not possess the necessary paperwork.

Results are expected to be ready by 20.30 on Election Day, Chief Returning Officer Andreas Assiotis stated before the process began. He also recalled that voters will have the opportunity to exercise their electoral right until 18.00, an hour later than initially provided. The relevant law was amended by Parliament to that extent on Thursday.

February’s elections are being contested by three main candidates: President of the main opposition centre right party Democratic Rally (DISY) Nicos Anastasiades, who is also backed by Democratic Party DIKO, Stavros Malas, who will run having secured the backing of the ruling left wing party AKEL, and former Foreign Minister, Giorgos Lillikas, who is backed by the socialist party EDEK.

The other candidates are former Minister of Commerce, Tourism and Industry Praxoula Antoniadou Kyriakou, Makaria Andri Stylianou, Lakis Ioannou, Costas Kyriakou, also known as Utopus, Andreas Efstratiou, Loucas Stavrou, Solon Gregoriou and Georgios Charalambous.