A unique approach, which through his own lens translates as innovation, is what independent Cypriot MEP Feidias Panagiotou claims he wants to implement in the political landscape. “I admitted that I cannot change anything as an independent MEP. That’s why the goal is to form the party, so we can enter Parliament,” he emphasizes regarding his new political initiative “Direct Democracy” and presents his plans for the future. The announcement of his party opened the field for lively commentary, with the MEP himself responding through his interview on “S” to his critics, speaking about special symbolisms, while self-identifying as a “social knowledge scientist.” He refers to the “outdated way of thinking” in the EU, while focusing on the changes he seeks in both the political and educational systems of Greece and Europe. To those who accuse him of promoting the claims of the former leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, Ersin Tatar, calling him a “pawn of the Turkish Republic,” he responds that he ultimately harmed Tatar.
A few days ago you announced a new party, called “Direct Democracy,” which will start in Cyprus and, according to your statements, will operate on a franchise logic, with clear expansion ambitions. If some kind of expansion is indeed achieved, who will be the representative of this party in Greece?
You’re getting ahead of yourself, I think. Like with all things and companies, you do a test. You see if it worked or not. That’s what we’ll do in Cyprus. “Direct Democracy” the way we’ll implement it has never been tested anywhere in the world. We need to decide on the 56 parliamentary candidates we’ll have in Cyprus’s elections. Any Cypriot can put forward their candidacy, meaning 500 people might apply, 1,000, we don’t know. So far, within four-five days, 45 people have applied. There will be elections and the people will decide who will be the representative.
You have admitted that you cannot change anything alone. The idea, then, is that everything will be done through an application, through an app. Would you say this constitutes political innovation? How will your new party “Direct Democracy” function?
I admitted that I cannot change anything as an independent MEP. That’s why the goal is to form the party, so we can enter Parliament and be able to secure a large number of MPs so we can change things.
Where would you say your new party leans in terms of its ideology?
We believe this is an outdated way of thinking. I vote in the European Parliament with the Right and with the Left and with the Center, depending on what I agree with. And often the Right says the same thing as the Left.
So your party will constitute a faction that embraces, that hosts different voices, left and right
It’s open. Yes. This element also exists. We are united by two things. The first is belief in direct democracy, that the people should vote and decide their future. The second thing that unites us is that we are not satisfied with the existing system, and I don’t know if in Greece too more than half the people don’t vote. So, trust in the political system has been lost. We want something new. As Einstein says, if you keep doing the same thing and expect different results, that’s the definition of insanity.
Particular was also the way you presented your party, with a clown nose. Why did you choose this appearance? Is there some symbolism hidden?
Yes, there’s great symbolism. I believe that the political system is a clown to the world. And it was somehow symbolic that they’ve been mocking us for so many years. Now it’s time for us to make the joke. And in Cyprus I really enjoyed this, that all the MPs etc. are commenting on television whether the clown nose is right or wrong.
At least 400 signatures will be needed for the establishment of your party. How close do you think you are to this?
We have already exceeded 400. So the goal has been achieved. I’ll do a live stream and travel around Cyprus to all provinces and give people the opportunity to come and sign. Like I did in the European Parliament – I don’t know if you follow some of my videos. People don’t know what happens inside the European Parliament. So, through my election, in one to one and a half years, I believe we achieved millions, tens of millions of views in Greece and Cyprus and billions of views globally.
You have also been characterized as Eurosceptic, due to the rhetoric you occasionally present. You specifically stated that, if asked by the people for Cyprus to leave the European Union, you are in favor.
No, I didn’t say that. Every time I talk about the European Union, I don’t say contradictory things. I say I love the European Union. I believe Cyprus is good to be in the European Union, as is Greece. The bigger powers do whatever they want with you, though. We have America, we have China, we have Russia. If we are not united, we cannot exist, make better deals, be feared so they don’t treat us like Turkey. So, it’s good to be in Europe. But we have thousands of problems in Europe and I’m not satisfied with how we handle problems. We need to solve many problems. For example, we are at war. We need to stop the war. The war zones in the Middle East, in Ukraine. We need to stop the war more in Ukraine, because we’re sending money from European taxpayers to make war with Russia. The most important battle now is for Artificial Intelligence. Who will have the data centers? Who will have the technological development? And we are last in the race.
Let’s move to Turkish Cypriot affairs. Your interview with Ersin Tatar had caused a plethora of reactions in Cyprus. You had mentioned that the guarantee for Turkish Cypriots is the Turkish troops. From Cyprus’s side they characterized you as a pawn of Turkish diplomacy, what do you respond to this?
If they used me and exploited me to make propaganda, they must not have succeeded. Due to the fact that we had elections in the Occupied Areas and the other candidate came out. Tatar’s opponent. I believe I harmed Tatar.
When, however, issues of a two-state solution are raised, it’s a clear provocation.
It’s a provocation, that’s why Cyprus’s position and the Greek government’s position must also be promoted. Yes, that’s what I told Tatar, to state his own views. And it appears these are his own opinions. The world is smart, understands and didn’t vote for him. So, all these things they said about me were a political game.
After Tufan Erhurman’s victory in the Occupied Areas, would you say we are closer to a solution for the Cyprus issue?
Yes, I believe that before the chances of resolving the Cyprus issue were around 5%. Now I believe it went to 15% probability. Now it appears they want to.
You have interviewed everyone from Greek politicians to artists. What do you aim for through your videos?
They might mock me for a podcast, but my goal is to change Education in Greece and Cyprus and Europe. Through the podcast I believe I achieve learning, because often we talk about history topics for three hours and these podcasts get 300,000 views. I can’t change the educational system, I try to do it in other ways. I consider myself somewhat a social knowledge scientist.
We’re hearing this term for the first time, “social knowledge scientist”…
Through my videos I saw when everyone gets bored. I can explain to the world what’s happening, pass my message.
Published in Parapolitika newspaper
