The visit of the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to Crete and her hosting at the house of the Greek prime minister in Chania has caused reactions and concerns in the German press.
According to the Berliner Zeitung, Mrs. von der Leyen and her husband did not stay in a hotel, but were invited by the Greek prime minister and stayed at the home of the Mitsotakis family, enjoying the view of Souda Bay.
In a tweet, MEP Sophie Id Veld asked: “How is it possible to spend a holiday with the Greek prime minister, who is facing charges related to the surveillance scandal?”, citing the comment from the Berlin newspaper.
The article presents the Commission’s reaction to the trip and the Greek reactions on the internet. Many Greek netizens, including journalists, felt there was a conflict of interest, according to the German media outlet.
Furthermore, Süddeutsche Zeitung, another German newspaper, is also dealing with the Commission President’s vacation in Chania. Her columnist points out that female politicians’ vacations are usually not politicized. The article states that female officials should be allowed to take a few days off to rest.
However, in the case of Ursula von der Leyen, the article points out that this is a case that deserves attention. During her trip to Greece, Mitsotakis is an important partner in shaping European immigration policy.
The article concludes by concluding that the Commission president’s visit to Greece had a political nature, as the circumstances increase the interest around this issue.
