The installation of a giant Israeli campaign billboard on a Cyprus motorway has triggered strong public reaction and widespread debate over whether political campaigning by a foreign country should be allowed on the island.
The billboard features Gadi Eisenkot, founder of the Yashar party, former Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and one of the leading contenders for Israel’s next prime minister.
The discussion comes at a time when the number of Israeli citizens in Cyprus has increased, prompting questions on social media and in the wider public sphere about the appropriateness of foreign election advertising in the country.
Fidias Panayiotou calls the issue serious
Independent MEP Fidias Panayiotou also weighed in on the issue through a video posted on social media, describing the matter as particularly serious.
He argued that the presence of the billboard indicates there are enough Israeli citizens in Cyprus to justify election advertising aimed specifically at them.
Panayiotou also raised broader concerns over whether countries outside the European Union should be permitted to conduct election campaigns on the streets of Cyprus.
Proposal for legislation
The independent MEP described the practice as unacceptable and suggested introducing legislation that would prohibit election campaigning by third countries within the Republic of Cyprus.
He also urged caution in Cyprus’ relations with Israel, as well as with other non-EU countries, arguing that Cyprus should ensure it does not create conditions that could place the country at a political or geopolitical disadvantage in the future.
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