MEP Feidias Panagiotou finds himself in a deadlock: he will be unable to compile a ballot for his party “Direct Democracy Cyprus” if he complies with the written directives of Data Protection Commissioner Maria Christofidou.
The Commissioner demands the immediate suspension of the online platform “Agora” until a Data Protection Impact Assessment is completed — a process that could take up to eight weeks. However, in just ten days, this very platform is scheduled to host the selection of 56 parliamentary candidates.
Non-compliance is effectively the only option for Feidias. Under current legislation, the violation constitutes a criminal offence carrying up to three years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to €30,000. However, the MEP cannot be criminally prosecuted due to his European parliamentary immunity.
In practice, he is expected to face an administrative fine, the amount of which will be determined based on the severity of the breach. He retains the right to appeal before the Administrative Court.
Commissioner Christofidou rejected Feidias’s claims that she is under pressure from other parties. She revealed that the first letter to the MEP was sent in October 2025, followed by others, but Feidias either did not respond or changed lawyers. Four months later, he has still not complied.
Notably, other parties that launched similar platforms submitted their Impact Assessments in time and obtained the required approvals without any issues.
