Leading in polls and hoping to take power this year in elections, Greece’s major opposition New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived in the Cypriot capital of Nicosia for a two-day visit, including talks with President Nicos Anastasiades.

Arriving in Cyprus, the conservative leader was welcomed by the head of Cyprus’ ruling Democratic Rally (DISY) party, Averof Neofytou, who said that, “Very soon country’s reins will be in your hands, for a better Greece,” expecting a Mitsotakis victory over the ruling Radical Left SYRIZA of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

Both countries needed bailouts from international lenders but Cyprus has recovered faster, thanks to the same kind of record tourism Greece has been seeing but also after Anastasiades, reneging on campaign promises when he took office in March 2013, allowed banks to seize 47.5 percent of bank accounts over 100,000 euros ($112,455) to keep them and the economy from collapsing.

“Cyprus has accomplished what we have not in Greece, meaning it has been able to balance its public finances while quickly achieving high growth rates of 4 percent,” Mitsotakis said, praising the country’s recovery.

“Fiscal restructuring cannot be carried out on the backs of the middle class with the over-taxation of the productive economy,” he added, said Kathimerini.

Mitsotakis was to attend the ninth Nicosia Economic Congress and will meet with 10 young Greeks studying at Cypriot universities, before attending a formal dinner hosted by DISY as well.