Three Cypriot MEPs voted in favour of the approval by the European Parliament of the new College of Commissioners and three against.
In short statements they explain the reasons which led them to their decision.
EPP MEP, Loucas Fourlas, says that he voted in favour of the approval of the new College of Commissioners, noting that “the new Commission must start on December 1st for the EU to begin producing work.”
“The new Commission will of course be judged later on by its work,” he pointed out.
EPP MEP, Michalis Hadjipantela, who also voted in favour, notes that “the hearings were generally revealing, with candidates standing out for their knowledge and commitments.”
“Despite individual weaknesses, I feel that the Commission has the necessary momentum to meet expectations and promote the priorities of the European Union,” he concludes.
S&D MEP, Costas Mavrides points out that “the Political Alliance of Socialists and Democrats decided last night to vote in favour of the College of Commissioners.” He also says that following consultation he had with the Democratic Party (DIKO) leadership, he voted in favour of the new Commissioners.
On his part, the MEP of the Left Group, George Georgiou, who voted against the new College of Commissioners, says that “the composition of the new Commission is not expected to resolve the long-standing issues such as militarization, wars, unemployment, poverty, foreclosures, price increases, corruption, lack of transparency, xenophobia, violation of women’s rights and undermining gender equality, which the previous and the new Presidency of the European Commission refuse to address.”
He also points out that “the process of hearings of the Commissioners-designate highlighted several deficits, problems and issues of either inadequacy or political inconsistency in several Commissioners-designate.” Georgiou adds that the process of evaluating the Vice-Presidents “turned into a fiasco, nullifying the institutional role that the European Parliament should, by right, exercise for the sake of behind closed doors horse-trading between the Right and the Far Right.”
Conservative and Reformist MEP Geadis Geadi, who also voted against the new College of Commissioners, says that his negative vote was not against the Commissioners, but against the composition of the specific Commission. He further clarifies that he had a positive opinion of several Commissioners, adding that he had the opposite opinion of other Commissioners, such as the Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Suica, and the Commissioner for Climate Action, Teresa Ribera. He says he expressed his disagreements in the context of a discussion during the interview with the Commissioners.
At the same time, he expresses his satisfaction for the election of Cypriot Costas Kadis as Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, wishing him good work and adding that he will be by his side to help in whatever is needed.
In a post on social media, the independent MEP, Phidias Panayiotou, states that he voted against the new composition of the Commission, explaining that the entire system of approving the Commissioners “has many flaws and should be a lot more democratic.” He also emphasizes that the Commission is selected behind closed doors by Ursula von der Leyen and the ruling parties in national governments.
“The fact that the MEPs cannot vote for them separately doesn’t make any sense,” he adds. He concludes by expressing the belief that “this is not the right way to elect the Commission”.
Also read: Cyprus receives €115 million under the RRF by Commission
Source: CNA/PH/EPH/2024
