Brussels, Belgium. Independent Cypriot MEP Fidias Panayiotou said he would “probably be a billionaire” if he had not entered politics, claiming his online career was disrupted by holding office. He also criticised traditional media and defended his approach to foreign policy.
Claims about income and media
Speaking in podcasts broadcast on Tuesday, Panayiotou said traditional media either “fight me or accuse me unjustly”. He said his preference for YouTube reflects “his generation and his mistrust of established outlets”.
He said that by age 25 he had built an international online career with millions of followers and earnings of about €100,000 a month, before his election to the European Parliament reduced that income to around €15,000. “If politics hadn’t won me over, I’d be like my YouTuber friends,” he said.
Election plans and dual mandate rules
Elected last year as an independent, Panayiotou became the youngest Cypriot MEP and has since announced his intention to contest the May parliamentary elections with his newly rebranded party Direct Democracy of Cyprus.
Under EU and Cypriot law, a dual mandate is prohibited. Panayiotou has said any decision on which seat he would keep would be taken “by my supporters”, a stance that has prompted legal and political criticism.
Foreign policy remarks
In Brussels, Panayiotou has courted controversy over foreign policy, particularly his remarks on Russia and Ukraine.
He rejected accusations that he is a “Russian agent”, saying instead that he “understands the law of the strong” and that “the strong are the Russians”.
He also said that, in regard to the Cyprus issue, “the strong are the Turks”, adding that any settlement would be unfavourable unless Cyprus is heavily armed.
How do you assess Panayiotou’s plan to let supporters decide which seat he would keep if elected?