Cyprus will propose former agriculture minister Costas Kadis as a new European Union commissioner, the government in Nicosia announced on Monday (19 August).
“Dr. Kadis’ experience from the various institutional positions he has held in service of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as his academic background and expertise, are key factors in his selection for the important role of Commissioner”, government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said in a written statement.
The spokesperson added that EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen was informed about Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides’ choice last week during a telephone conversation.
In previous governments, Kadis has served as a minister three times.
The latest was between 2018-2023 when he served as agriculture minister under the former president Nikos Anastasiades’ administration (EPP), which was replaced by independent Christodoulides following the national vote in February 2023.
Portfolio still unknown
Nicosia currently holds the Commission’s health portfolio, but local media report that this will not be the case in the next mandate.
Although nothing is certain yet, some suggest that a potential portfolio for Cyprus could be one of the newly created posts exclusively dedicated to the Mediterranean, which von der Leyen announced at her speech in Strasbourg in late July.
In Brussels, rumours suggest that incumbent Greek Commissioner Margaritis Schinas had been eyeing this new post in case he was proposed again by Athens.
However, this was not the case, as the centre-right ruling New Democracy party picked the governor of Central Macedonia Apostolos Tzitzikostas and Athens is likely to get the transport portfolio.
In her speech to EU lawmakers before summer break, Von der Leyen promised to pay more attention to the war in Gaza and broader suffering in the Middle East.
Cyprus is currently Europe’s gateway to the region, providing a maritime corridor to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
But European Commission officials have been adamant that they would like to avoid ‘politicising’ policy portfolios this term by awarding them to countries that could overtly use them for their national interests.
The new Mediterranean file, considering it would also deal with the wider region and potentially the repercussions of Israel’s war on Gaza, could bear such a risk, Commission sources say.
Cyprus’ national priority has been to find a solution to the division of the island after the 1974 Turkish invasion.
Ankara invoked an Athens-backed coup aimed at uniting Cyprus with Greece, but since then, it has been occupying 37% of the island.
The re-unification talks are currently being held by the United Nations and despite Nicosia’s pressure, a direct EU involvement in the talks is not foreseen as member states are divided.
Unlike the EU, Turkey has taken a clear stance in favour of Palestine and against Israel’s actions in Gaza.
* Alexandra Brzozowski contributed to this article.
Source link : https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/cyprus-picks-former-agriculture-minister-for-eu-commissioner-candidate/
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Publish date : 2024-08-20 07:00:00
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