Nikos Pappas and Phidias Panagiotou occupy the public sphere for the wrong reasons – One basketball, the other a video player, were in the European Parliament due to recognition
By Manolis Kalatzis
The Irish Nobel laureate, George Bernard Shaw, used to say: “He knows nothing and thinks he knows everything. This clearly shows that he is destined for a career as a politician.”
Therefore we are experiencing nothing original with the new crop of “politicians” who saw the light of day in the European Parliament and entered, cashing in on a recognition they gained for the wrong reasons, which in no way had anything to do with politics.
After the June 9 elections, in Cyprus and Greece, at least two such cases emerged, although it is too early for other would-be imitators.
Greece is discussing the case of SYRIZA MEP, Nikos Pappas and the Cyprus of Phidias Panagiotou, who, at the request of his followers, did not join any political group.
Nikos Pappas< /strong>he often philosophises by selling leftism, sometimes deviating towards the bachalakis who burn Athens whenever they like, or participate in organizations that have been characterized as extremist or terrorist. He has also stated that he allocated money to build a basketball court in Korydallos Prisons, because he has convicted friends who are held as anti-authoritarians for terrorist acts.
Somewhere there begins and ends his relationship with politics.
The case of Pheidias Panagiotouit is different but has exactly the same effect on the seriousness of the European Parliament. He has made it clear that he does not know politics but he is learning quickly and he promised to become the best MEP, which so far does not seem to be going according to his plan.
Sensitivity… and “good thinking”
Nikos Pappas, who uses social media a lot, a few days ago had an online dialogue with a police officer. The policeman asked why he mocks and disparages policemen in general by sacking everyone? Nikos Pappas called him a “kid” and “trash”. The policeman insisted in the dialogue that it is unfair to blame his colleagues for everything, even for the fires. Nikos Pappas sends an audio message leaked online in which he can be heard saying: “Don't come to Thessaloniki and finish you off, trash. Good luck with what you love”.
This is on a personal level, because when he appears in public he advertises his sensitivity, talking about the help he has given to cleaners, to dogs, to children, to foreigners and to the needy. /strong>
The revelation of the language he used against the policemen caused a strong reaction from the Association of Officers as well as from the government which called on him to recall and SYRIZA, to expel it for his behavior. Following the criticism, Nikos Pappas appeared in a new video on social media, looking for an alibi for the government's handling of the fires while claiming to respect the police. However, he did not avoid street language. He said, “Anyway. From then on I respect and recognize the security bodies and they themselves know it in private discussions we have had. But I do not accept from any far-right troll, from any fascist to threaten me and insult me and my family. I will always answer in the same style, it does not negate the MEP position I have, my values and personality. It would be good at Maximos to deal with more serious issues, people are burning, dying, living on the street and you are flying a kite”.
In no way did he apologize for his characterizations and style.
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Also, in his earlier statements, he had expressed the same disparaging attitude towards policemen and journalists, saying that he does not know what kind of mind someone who decides to become a journalist or a policeman has.
Ours “we also we're doing”
In the case of Phidias Panagiotou, his public slips follow one another with incredible frequency.
The video he released last week, announcing the collaboration with the Turkish Cypriot Youtuber, Ibrahim Beycanli, who makes a career as an “Urban Cypriot”, could be entitled “other words to love…”.
A trademark of this unknown goal and unknown other elements of cooperation, a hug at the roadblock on Ledras Street, where Nicosia is divided in two.
Writing sample, the “from here” side and the “from there” side. Ibrahim Beycanli, referring to the occupied territories, spoke of the “northern side” of the island, and Phidias Panagiotou – apparently in order not to offend his partner – about the “side from here”. They both talked about killing each other, with Beycanli picking up the thread since 1964 and Phidias Panagiotou since 1974, when “the Turkish army occupied 38% of the island”.
With the non-existent relationship and of the two with politics, it is difficult to diagnose what the object of their cooperation will be. plan of action, since Phidias Panagiotou at an unexpected time, speaking to the newspaper “Fileleftheros”, had said that his philosophy is, “we dare and we do”.
However, the skeptics speculate that this initiative also aims to attract new followers, with what it may mean for the incomes of both, from the platforms on which they upload the material they create.
Excuse 24 carats (years old)
Every kind of criticism concerns Phidias Panagiotou, he always has one answer: “I'm only 24 years old… I make mistakes and I will learn”. For many, this answer is satisfactory, while for others it is rather pretentious.
If he is trying to justify his behavior in Syntagma Square, when he was handing out 50 euros together with Alexandros Kopsialis, to minors, so that they would jump into the fountain and chew asses from the sidewalk, one might recognize the immaturity of youth, but when it comes to for Cyprus, things are changing.
From the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they assured that there was no consultation or even information from Phidias Panagiotou about what he intends to do and he did not ask to be informed about aspects of the Cypriot issue, which he does not know.
As noted by the same sources, there is no question of interference in the contact between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, but Phidias Panagiotou has been a member of the European Parliament since June and any of his initiatives may have an impact on the international image of Cyprus.
Between serious… and serious, they said that the Cypriot andthe restoration of relations with the Turkish Cypriots is not an issue that will be solved with hugs and YouTube videos.
However, the young MEP seems not to have fully realized the weight of his actions and continues to work with the logic of the YouTuber, which he does not intend to abandon, as he has stated that he will continue to make “videos” in the European Parliament, for transparency purposes!
Transparency, which so far is limited to the refrigerator that produces carbonated water and found him in a corridor of the building in Brussels.
His penetrating gaze and the camera that accompanies him every step of the way, also revealed the underground parking lots, cafes, shops, hair salon and other places where MEPs move.
< strong>The poorest millionaire
With his first video from the European Parliament, Phidias Panagiotou expressed his disappointment because he was able to find out within a few 24 hours that his colleagues are not properly using the money available to do their work. He promised that he would soon make videos to expose the wastes and wrongdoings he found. No such video was made, but it “revealed” how much money MEPs get, although all the data has been available on the European Parliament's website for several years.
When the time came for the new MEPs to declare their incomes and sources, for the three years before their election, Phidias Panagiotou, forgot the “videos” in which he boasted that he became a millionaire from YouTube, as he made €50,000 a month , while within a year he had earned almost €1,000,000.
In his official statement to the services of the European Parliament, he appeared as an employee of a company… owned by him, with a salary of around €1,200 per month. This means that he does not pay a single euro in tax, since the tax-free limit is €19,500 per year.
Despite being asked to explain whether he is hiding income through companies or whether what he had declared about his income from YouTube activity did not correspond to reality, he has remained silent, forgetting his commitments to full transparency.< /p>
Blood and water don't work
And while he advertised that he started to pioneer, in relation to the way he hires his partners (who are paid by the EU) , surprised again!
He announced that he is hiring his sister, who is very good at math, and entrusting her to run his Brussels office. However, since MEPs cannot employ their relatives with funds from the European Parliament, Phidias Panagiotou announced that he will pay for it himself from his own money. However, it is unknown if a relative of an MEP can work in the European Parliament, having a working relationship beyond a personal one. In addition, he fired staff from his personal company in Cyprus, but hired a partner of his, who does the filming of the videos and will now be paid by European funds. He also asked to hire two YouTube experts (also with EU money) while also hiring his former teacher, who taught Physics at a technical high school in Cyprus. Among all these recruitments, he also hired an employee from Romania, with experience in the European Parliament, as he worked in the office of an MEP who was not re-elected.
As for the transparency he promised, he found himself again in the dark, since soon after, the European Parliament closed for the summer holidays and Phidias was in Italy, to surprise a girl, who is also involved in social media networking and aspires to become an influencer.
Hitchhiking show
In the first session of the Plenary of the new European Parliament, Phidias Panagiotou chose to travel from Brussels to Strasbourg by hitchhiking, as he said, he likes to be in contact with people. With him is his partner Loukas Nikos, who caressingly calls out “Sausage”
Two important votes were taken in the first Plenary. In both, he voted white and abstained. Neither did Metsola become President of the European Parliament, nor did he approve the resolution in support of Ukraine, because in his opinion it was a resolution to continue the war. For the approval of the choice of Ursula von der Leyen, Phidias Panagiotou asked for the help of the followers and they indicated to him through a referendum on TikTok that they do not want her! As for the followers, he presented some percentages, which no one can confirm and without anyone knowing their age, which countries they come from, if they are real people, etc.
In the rest of the votes, he also abstained because found it unacceptable that no time was given to study.
Ignore missing children
Despite the fact that in all the videos, Phidias Panagiotou usually declares that he loves them all, giving hugs, forming hearts and sending kisses, he was not particularly effusive, away from the cameras, with the children of the missing. When, at an event at the Presidential Palace, they approached him to ask for his help in promoting the issue of the missing persons of the Turkish invasion, he told them that he could not do anything and explained that they were not the only children who grew up without a father.
In front of the surprise of his behavior, the MEP said to one of the women who has a missing father: “You have a big idea about yourself… yes, I have a missing uncle but I don't act like that”.
< p>A rain of criticism followed, but Phidias Panagiotous appeared after several days to denounce that the parties are fighting him. Instead of apologizing, he said that “all parties are against us and are trying to tarnish our name”. However, he admitted that “I said yes 2-3 times more and I said sorry and left”.
Zero political interference
Both Nikos Pappas and Phidias Panagiotou, have not made any political statement since their election, while they occupy the public sphere with their behavior. For Nikos Pappa, things are easier, as SYRIZA belongs to the political group of the European Left and has clear positions and positions on all issues. It is expected that the former basketball player will follow these positions. Phidias Panagiotou has chosen to ask followers on social media or consult his colleagues who also have no political background and knowledge about the EU.
It would be remiss not to mention other MEPs from other countries who have no more qualifications than Nikos Pappa and Phidias Panagiotou, but have parties that support their presence which is almost decorative.
