Shemaine Bushnell Kyriakides
A visiting delegation from the German Parliament’s Committee on EU Affairs wrapped up its stay in Cyprus on Thursday night with a dinner hosted by German Ambassador Hans-Peter Jugel and his wife, Michaela Jugel, at their residence in Nicosia. The group had spent the day in meetings tied to Cyprus’ assumption of the rotating EU Council presidency.
The six-member delegation was led by SPD MP Johannes Schraps and included MPs from CDU/CSU, AfD, the Greens and Die Linke. Their visit focused on discussing the priorities of the Cypriot presidency and maintaining close coordination between German and Cypriot lawmakers. During their stay, they met with the House Committee on Foreign and European Affairs, senior officials at the Foreign Ministry and the Finance Ministry’s Cohesion Policy directorate, along with representatives of the business community and civil society.
Speaking before the dinner, Schraps described the delegation’s visit to Cyprus as “full” and “inspiring,” noting their meetings with Cypriot officials as well as German political foundations active on the island. One stop that stood out for him was the Committee on Missing Persons, which he visited for the second time. He said the stories behind each case remain deeply moving and stressed why Germany continues to support the CMP through its national budget in addition to EU funding.
Schraps did not shy away from the wider global backdrop. From Russia’s war in Ukraine to renewed geopolitical friction and a more polarized public climate, he said Europe is operating in “turbulent” times. Those challenges, he added, make Cyprus’ presidency far from a routine assignment, especially with the EU’s next multiannual financial framework still on the negotiating table. Drawing on Germany’s own experience leading the Council in 2020, he said he hoped the bloc would avoid another last-minute budget scramble.
But the German MP kept returning to one core message: dialogue. He said visits like this, evenings where officials and diplomats can speak openly, away from the constraints of headlines and formal statements, help build trust across borders, institutions and generations. Cyprus, he added, is a “meaningful place” for such exchanges, given the close ties between Nicosia and Berlin.
Schraps wrapped up on a warm note, encouraging guests to make the most of the evening’s conversations, and hinting, with a smile, that no German reception is complete without food waiting to be served.
