Members of the European Parliament called on Tuesday the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU to promote Europe’s strategic autonomy, while highlighting the need for the Cyprus issue settlement with the EU’s support, in interventions during the presentation of the programme of activities of the Cyprus Presidency on Tuesday at the EP Plenary Session in Strasbourg.
Manfred Weber, PPE Chair, said on behalf of the group that Cyprus takes over the Presidency at a time when a strong Europe is needed more than ever before with Cyprus playing its role as a bridge builder with the region.
‘The Presidency brings a lot of hope for Europe’, he noted, while referring to the Cyprus issue, he said it is a European issue. ‘There cannot be a united Europe without a united Cyprus, you have the EPP on your side’, he stressed.
Costas Mavrides (Cyprus) on behalf of the S and D group said that a holistic approach is needed for current challenges, with EU in a strategic role.
‘The Cypriot Presidency is rightly focusing on the EU’s strategic autonomy, which in practice means power, with respect for international law externally and social cohesion within the Union, starting with housing and energy. Since taking office, you have also demonstrated that Cyprus is indeed the EU’s bridge to the Middle East and beyond’, he continued.
‘However, Mr. President, this requires consistency in principles and solidarity, which is why European citizens are asking: When international law was violated in Ukraine, we responded by imposing unprecedented sanctions on the violator. Why did we not do the same in the case of Turkey’s illegal occupation of EU territory in Cyprus, even though this is a violation of international law and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights? How will we combine increased supply from sources outside the EU with our strategic autonomy and social cohesion within the Union?’, he asked.
‘We will work with you in these next six months as we believe in a strong, social and united Europe with solidary’, he noted.
Kinga Gál from Patriots for Europe said that that the Migration Pact should be rejected, whereas a new narrative is needed in Ukraine and support for US-led peace negotiations.
She added that agriculture and cohesion are threatened by the new budget and a bad Mercosur agreement is being enforced upon member states, calling the Cyprus Presidency to take action.
Geadis Geadi (Cyprus) from the ECR group said that European autonomy means national autonomy, calling for the adoption of policies such as promoting the primary sector, improving competitiveness, make affordable housing available and achieve energy autonomy.
He added that Cyprus could play a very important role due to its geostrategic location, but is being threatened by occupying Turkey. ‘It is a shame for Europe to care only about Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, Venezuela, Honduras, but not caring about its own children, its own territories, its own member states, the country that presides over the European Council. Liberating Cyprus is the duty of all Europeans’, he stressed.
Dan Barna from Renew Europe said that enlargement remains one of EU’s most strategic instruments and underlined the need to open negotiations with candidate countries and recognize merit.
He also urged for swift progress with MFF negotiations so that the appropriate funds for enlargement and countries’ support can be provided.
Bas Eickhout from Verts/ALE, after thanking President Christodoulides for the support to Ukraine, said that Europe must act decisively and actively in the coming months and initiatives from the Presidency in this direction would be welcome.
Noting that strategic autonomy concerns mainly the military, digital and economic fronts, he stressed that ‘Europe needs to come up with its own agenda’.
Giorgos Georgiou (Cyprus) from The Left (GUE/NGL) said that the priorities of the EU have already been set by bigger members states and its policies by the private sector.
He further commented that stability in the region cannot happen without the Cyprus issue settlement, adding that issues such as respect for rule of law and corruption need to be tackled.
‘Our trustworthiness depends on solidarity and the active defence of international law’, he noted.
René Aust from ESN spoke of a loss of the industrial basis in Europe as a result of previous energy policies and called for a return to nuclear energy with credible long-term decisions.
‘We need to start producing again so that we can start working again, so that we can get decent incomes again, so that our continent can have a future’, he stressed.
Non-aligned MP Fidias Panayiotou said that the territorial integrity of Cyprus should be a top priority of the EU.
‘We are a Member State that has been actively occupied by Turkey for 51 years. The Cyprus Presidency is an opportunity for the EU to finally put the Cyprus problem in its top priorities, in order to find a just and vital solution. Because the Cyprus problem is also a European problem’, he stressed.
Loucas Fourlas (Cyprus) from PPE said that Cyprus will rise up to the occasion as it takes over the Presidency.
‘Cyprus can be a bridge between Europe and the Middle East, Cyprus can and must emphasize that the right to veto is non-negotiable, Cyprus can remind everyone that what brings us together is common values and principles, even though these values and principles have not been implemented during the last 51 years in my country, that remains divided’, he noted.
‘We call upon you to be the guardian of the principles and values that we should all serve, even if in our case these values and principles were never implemented’, he stressed addressing President Christodoulides
Michalis Hadjipantela (Cyprus) from PPE said that the ongoing division of Cyprus remains an open wound and a source of instability for Europe, ‘a wound that has to be healed only through the unwavering stance and decisive contribution of the European Union’.
‘For 52 years now, our homeland has continued to suffer the consequences of the illegal Turkish invasion. We demand that the European Union take the same clear stance in the case of Cyprus as it has in the case of Ukraine’, he noted.
Other MPs commented on the issues of migration, geopolitical developments in areas such as Greenland and Venezuela, as well as the need for simplification and de-regulation. Opinions were also expressed on social issues, democracy, cohesion policy and the rights of minorities.