President, Nikos Christodoulides, is travelling to Maastricht, where he will deliver a speech at the University of Maastricht, and then to Brussels, where he will take part in the proceedings of the European Council, which will discuss the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028-2034.
According to a written statement by Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis, President Christodoulides is travelling to Maastricht today, where, at the invitation of the University authorities, he will deliver a speech at Maastricht University entitled ‘Cyprus and the European project: Bridging Europe and the Middle East on the path to strategic autonomy’.
The President will visit the University this evening, where he will be welcomed by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Esther Versluis, Letymbiotis says. This will be followed by a tour of the University premises and then the President’s speech, after which there will be a discussion with students and lecturers.
‘The speech will focus on the future of Europe, contemporary geopolitical challenges, the work and achievements of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU, as well as the strategic role of the Republic of Cyprus as a bridge for cooperation between the European Union and the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East’, Letymbiotis notes.
Later this evening, he adds, the President of the Republic will travel to Brussels, where he will take part in the European Council meeting on 15 and 16 October.
The Government Spokesperson added that on Thursday, President Christodoulides will take part in the European People’s Party Summit and will subsequently hold a meeting with the leaders of the Member States participating in the ‘Friends of Cohesion’ group, ahead of the crucial negotiations on the next European budget.
Subsequently, he adds, ‘he will take part in the proceedings of the European Council, which will focus on the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034, with the aim of achieving substantial progress that will keep the prospect of an overall political agreement alive until the end of 2026.’
‘These are negotiations of crucial importance for the future of the European Union, as the next European budget will determine its ability to fund its strategic priorities, strengthen its competitiveness and security, and ensure economic and social cohesion,’ he stressed
The Republic of Cyprus, continues the Government Spokesperson, is entering the discussions having contributed substantially to shaping the negotiating basis through the work of the Cypriot Presidency, which is also recognised in the recent joint statement by the 17 member states of the ‘Friends of Cohesion’.
‘The formulation of a balanced and ambitious European budget that will respond to new challenges, whilst ensuring sufficient resources for Cohesion Policy and the Common Agricultural Policy, with particular emphasis on balanced development and support for rural areas and the primary sector, continues to be a key priority for the Republic of Cyprus,’ he notes.
According to Letymbiotis, the European Council’s agenda also includes the competitiveness of the European economy, rising energy prices and their impact on households and businesses, European security and defence, developments in Ukraine and the Middle East, migration, as well as the enlargement and reforms of the European Union.
‘Particular emphasis will be placed on the need for a coordinated European response to the consequences of rising energy prices, with the Republic of Cyprus advocating for greater flexibility within the European economic governance framework, so that Member States have the ability to take additional measures to support citizens and businesses, as well as to finance investments that strengthen energy self-sufficiency, whilst safeguarding fiscal sustainability,’ he points out.
At the same time, he adds, ‘the President of the Republic will highlight the need to strengthen European competitiveness, with an emphasis on the completion of the single market, attracting investment and ensuring that European policies take into account the specific characteristics of all Member States.’
On Friday, 16 October the President will take part in a meeting of like-minded leaders on migration and subsequently in the continuation of the European Council’s proceedings, while on Friday afternoon, the President of the Republic, accompanied by the Government Spokesperson, the Director of the President’s Press Office, Viktoras Papadopoulos, and officials, will depart for Cyprus, he concludes.