A German AfD member of parliament is accusing Greece of exploiting its leverage over the 2004 EU enlargement to push Cyp...

Written on 10/19/2026
theatlaswiregreece

A German AfD member of parliament is accusing Greece of exploiting its leverage over the 2004 EU enlargement to push Cyprus into the bloc while the island's division remained unresolved. Maximilian Krah made the claim in an exclusive interview with Clash Report, framing Germany's acceptance of that outcome as a diplomatic failure. Krah argued that Greece used its position during enlargement negotiations to secure Cyprus's EU accession despite the ongoing dispute stemming from Turkey's 1974 military occupation of the island's north. He described the arrangement as one of many instances in which Germany absorbs obligations that ultimately work against its own interests. The AfD MP went further, calling Turkey "the key strategic partner of the 21st century" and proposing closer German-Turkish military and defense cooperation. He floated Turkey as a replacement partner for Germany's stalled sixth-generation fighter project with France, and suggested Ankara could serve as an energy hub connecting Europe to gas from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. Krah also called for Germany to cut off financial support for Ukraine and accused Chancellor Friedrich Merz of recklessly risking European war with Russia. On the euro, he warned that a French financial crisis could collapse the entire European currency system. The comments put Krah directly at odds with Greek and Cypriot positions on EU membership and sovereignty. Cyprus joined the EU in May 2004 as a divided island, with the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus representing the whole territory despite Turkish forces controlling the north since 1974, a situation that remains unchanged 52 years later. #Cyprus #Greece #AfD