Cypriot MEPs talk Turkish occupation, but EU colleagues barely listen

When five members of the European Parliament, four from Cyprus and one from Greece, stood up to speak about the ongoing Turkish occupation of northern Cyprus, they were met not with attention but with apathy.

According to MEP Fidias Panagiotou, who posted a video of the scene, fewer than 10% of their colleagues in the chamber were actually listening. The footage shows rows of MEPs without their translation headphones, engaged in side conversations, walking around, or simply ignoring the speeches entirely. For Panagiotou, it was a disappointing picture, one that raised serious questions about how seriously the Cyprus issue is being taken in Brussels.

The speeches, delivered by Loukas Fourlas, Kostas Mavridis, Geadis Geadis, George Georgiou, and Aphrodite Latinopoulou, were made in Greek, which may have contributed to the disinterest. But as Panagiotou pointed out, the language barrier shouldn't have been an excuse.

In his video commentary, delivered with a mix of Cypriot dialect and English, Panagiotou expressed his frustration: “These MEPs are wearing translation headsets when it suits them. Some even speak Greek. Maybe they’ve just had enough of hearing it—or maybe it’s our own MEPs’ fault for not using English to get their message across.”

Panagiotou himself was not allowed to speak during the session, as he doesn’t belong to a political group in the European Parliament. Still, he felt compelled to shed light on the lack of engagement from fellow lawmakers, especially on an issue as critical and long-standing as the Turkish military presence in Cyprus.

The video is now circulating on social media, drawing attention to a moment that, for many in Cyprus and Greece, reinforces a deeper sense of neglect within European institutions.

Whether it's indifference, fatigue, or a language divide, the message from Panagiotou is clear: Cyprus deserves to be heard—and not just by 10% of the room.

Watch the Fideas' video below: