Fidias Panayiotou accuses US of interference in 2004 Cyprus Referendum; Elon Musk shares speech

Elon Musk shared on X a provocative speech by independent MEP representing Southern Cyprus Mr Fidias Panayiotou who accused the United States of spending $60 million through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in an attempt to influence the outcome of the 2004 Cyprus reunification referendum.

Fidias described this financial involvement as  “foreign interference” in the island’s political affairs.

According to Fidias, the funding was allocated to support activities related to the potential reunification of Cyprus, a long-divided island with Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. He urged the European Parliament to broaden its focus beyond Russia, which he claims is often portrayed as the sole foreign adversary. He further alleged a selective approach in the Parliament’s response to election outcomes, suggesting that elections are scrutinized or dismissed based on their alignment with preferred results, with Moldova cited as an instance of such inconsistency.

Elon Musk, head of the U.S. Office of Government Effectiveness (DOGE), drew attention to Fidias’ accusations by resharing his comments on social media. Reports circulating in the American press claim that following Musk’s appointment as President of DOGE, he gained unprecedented access to USAID’s operations and classified information about its international aid programs.

USAID’s collaboration with Cyprus began as a humanitarian effort in 1974 and has since shifted towards fostering peace and reconciliation. The agency’s initiatives focus on reducing tensions and creating an environment conducive to lasting peace through community engagement and cooperation.

As the debate over foreign influence intensifies, Fidias’ statements are likely to spark further discussions on international interventions in domestic referendums and elections.

Source: pagenews.gr