Berlin attacks Cypriot EU budget proposal as ‘unaffordable’
politico.eu • • world
Key Points:
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government strongly criticized Cyprus's proposal to cut the EU’s 2028-2034 budget by 2 percent (€32.8 billion), calling it “unaffordable” and “unbalanced.”
- Germany insists that any multi-annual financial framework must be affordable and reformed, emphasizing prioritization of defense and competitiveness spending while seeking savings in agriculture and cohesion funding.
- Merz highlighted the need for significant budget changes, arguing that EU budget increases are hard to justify amid national fiscal tightening across member states.
- German officials want to finalize the EU’s long-term budget negotiations this year, warning that upcoming elections in key countries could complicate the process.
- The current budget proposal is deemed insufficient by Germany, with expectations that Ireland, taking over the Council presidency in July, will present a revised plan to meet the 2026 deadline.