Cyprus president-elect Nicos Anastasiades pledged after his poll victory on Sunday to work for an early EU bailout accord to rescue the Mediterranean island from bankruptcy.

"We intend to discuss and cooperate in a reliable manner with our European partners so as to achieve the earliest possible completion of the MoU (bailout) agreement in a manner that safeguards vulnerable groups, social cohesion and peaceful labour relations," he said in a victory statement.