Former First Lady and former European Parliament member Androulla Vassiliou has drawn strong criticism after publicly calling for the demolition of APOEL football club’s clubhouse.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Vassiliou questioned why the building, located at the entrance to Nicosia, had not yet been torn down.
“Can someone tell me when that dreadful building at the entrance of Nicosia that used to house APOEL will finally be demolished?” she wrote. “It creates a very negative impression of the capital.”
The post quickly triggered a wave of backlash, particularly from supporters of the historic football club. Many users responded with personal attacks, some of them offensive.
Vassiliou later clarified that her remarks were focused on the building’s appearance. “The reasons are purely visual,” she said. “Every time I pass by, I think about how poorly we welcome visitors to the capital of Cyprus.”
Responses to her post ranged from criticism of her judgment to defenses of the building’s architecture and symbolic value.
“She has experience with demolitions! Shame George [Vassiliou] isn’t president anymore to send in the bulldozers like at the Governors! Remember???” one user wrote.
Others questioned the basis of her complaint.
“What exactly bothers you about this particular building? Is this the only thing in Nicosia that bothers you?” another user asked. “If such a decision is ever made, rest assured it will have to go over the heads of thousands of APOEL fans.”
Some responses suggested restoration, not demolition, was needed.
“It needs restoration. I hope the club’s finances will someday allow for that—or that they’ll find a way to utilize it to support their financial situation,” one post read.
Others defended the building’s design.
“Architecturally, the building is quite interesting and stands out for its design. It even resembles a stadium,” another user commented. “Its character is perhaps shaped more by the identity and emotional connection of the club than by its architecture. The real shame is that it’s been left without maintenance.”
The original post and the full range of responses can be viewed here:
Μπορεί κανείς να μου πει πότε επιτέλους θα κατεδαφιστεί το οικτρό εκείνο κτίριο στην είσοδο της Λευκωσίας που στέγαζε μέχρι πρόσφατα το ΑΠΟΕΛ; Δημιουργεί πολύ αρνητική εικόνα για τη Πρωτεύουσα.
— Androulla Vassiliou (@VassiliouEU) June 5, 2025
