WASHINGTON (TNND) — Members of one of the European Union’s legislative bodies on Tuesday asked Elon Musk, head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, to review allocations by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to the Republic of Cyprus for any “financial improprieties.”
Geadis Geadi and Emmanouil Fragkos, both members of the European Parliament, wrote in a letter to Musk that reports suggest USAID directed tens of millions of dollars toward initiatives aimed at shaping public opinion in favor of a plan for the reunification of Cyprus.
“Given your ongoing efforts to expose inefficiencies and corrupt practices within federal agencies, we see it as a mutual interest if your department reviews past USAID allocations to Cyprus and discloses any findings regarding potential financial improprieties or wasteful spending,” they wrote.
USAID was a key financial supporter of the proposal, known as the Annan plan, to unify Cyprus with two constituent states, according to the lawmakers. They said the agency directed funds through a U.N. program and other intermediaries to mold public opinion.
“This included the funding of NGOs, media campaigns, and academic initiatives designed to influence local perspectives, potentially crossing ethical lines regarding foreign interference in democratic processes,” the letter reads.
Sixty-five percent of Cypriots with Turkish heritage voted to approve the plan in 2004, according to The New York Times. Three-quarters of Greeks on the island reportedly rejected it.
The Guardian reported more than a decade ago that Greek Cypriots were concerned over the presence of Turkish troops on the northern half of the island. A Greek political party opposed the Annan plan, claiming a U.N. council had not provided “guarantees” on security following any reunification, according to the outlet.
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Publish date : 2025-02-18 16:21:00
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Author : love-europe
Publish date : 2025-02-19 01:59:50
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