Fidias Panayiotou, a new Member of the European Parliament, is facing serious accusations. These allegations concern the way he used European Union money. At the same time, he is trying to advance his political career in Cyprus.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating a complaint. It claims Panayiotou mismanaged funds for rent and office costs. This is happening as he considers running for the Cypriot parliament.
The controversy is about claims that Panayiotou may have asked for money incorrectly. He strongly denies these claims. He said on social media that he did nothing wrong. He also promised to be open and honest.
Panayiotou explained his living situation. He and his fiancée live in an apartment that costs €1,200 a month. They pay for this with their own money. He also has an office that costs €2,300 monthly. The EU pays €1,600 of this. He pays the rest himself. This is because he uses the office for other things like podcast production.
This difficult time for Panayiotou happens with changes in his political party. The Direct Democracy party is becoming official in Cyprus. The party is also preparing for its first elections. These will use a special app for voting.
The party will choose candidates for parliament. They will also elect a party president. Voting starts on March 3rd. It will last for 72 hours. Panayiotou will soon decide about the Cypriot parliament. He must also choose between his EU role and a Cypriot seat. The investigation and his choices will affect his political future.