Category: Cyprus News Agency

Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Maria Panayiotou highlighted the progress achieved during the Cyprus Presidency on issues concerning the future of European agriculture, support for farmers, and negotiations on the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Following the conclusion of the second day of the final Agriculture and Fisheries Council under the Cyprus Presidency, held on Tuesday in Luxembourg, the Minister stated that over the past six months the Presidency had worked to strengthen the resilience, competitiveness and long-term sustainability of the European agricultural sector.

She noted that the work of the Cyprus Presidency focused on supporting farmers, enhancing food security, and keeping agriculture at the core of the European Union’s strategic autonomy at a time marked by climate pressures, market volatility and international uncertainty.

Referring to Tuesday’s Council meeting, the Minister said that the latest market developments and their potential implications for European agriculture were discussed. According to her, despite the overall resilience of EU agricultural markets, challenges related to input costs, extreme weather events and animal health issues remain.

She stressed that ministers agreed on the need to remain vigilant and ready to act whenever necessary.

The future of the Common Agricultural Policy after 2027 was also a central topic of discussion. According to Panayiotou, ministers exchanged views on the need to strike the right balance between greater flexibility for Member States and the preservation of the CAP’s common European objectives.

She underlined that the discussion highlighted the need for a simpler and less bureaucratic CAP that would allow farmers to focus more on production and less on administrative procedures.

The Minister noted that the future CAP should continue to support farm incomes, strengthen food security, ensure fair competition and take into account the differing needs of agricultural systems across Member States.

She also stated that the Cyprus Presidency is handing over the Council Presidency to Ireland, expressing confidence that the work initiated over the past six months will continue with the objective of building a more resilient, competitive and sustainable European agricultural sector.

Balance between common objectives and national specificities

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During the press conference, the Agriculture Minister was asked to comment on the fact that proposed amendments would make certain CAP interventions optional for Member States.

In response, the Minister stated that the primary objective is to maintain a balance between common European objectives and the specific needs of member states.

She stressed that the CAP should remain a common policy for the entire European Union while also taking into account the different conditions and specific circumstances prevailing in each Member State.

Cyprus’ Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry (MECI), through its Trade Centre in Paris, participated for a second consecutive year in the international technology and innovation fair VivaTech 2026, held in Paris from 17 to 20 June 2026, boosting the country’s profile as an emerging regional hub for technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.

A Ministry press release on Tuesday said this year’s edition – marking VivaTech’s tenth anniversary – displayed record participation, attracting over 200,000 visitors from 165 countries, more than 15,000 startups, 4,500 exhibitors (61% from abroad) and 1,155 speakers.

Central themes of the fair, which was attended by figures such as French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, included artificial intelligence and productivity, green technology, space and deep tech, it added.

The Trade Centre organised and coordinated Cyprus’ information pavilion, which featured five innovative Cypriot companies. The companies presented their technological solutions, drawing interest from the professional audience, including representatives of major international groups, and made significant contacts.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, Cyprus’ successful presence at VivaTech 2026 “confirms the importance of international networking and outward-looking promotion for further development of the innovation sector.”

It forms part of MECI’s broader efforts to promote the country as an emerging digital and technology hub in the Eastern Mediterranean and Europe and to attract high-value investment, the press release concluded.

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 23/06/2026 UNTIL 0600 24/06/2026

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1007hPa (hectopascal)

Seasonal low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine.

Visibility: Good

Sea surface temperature: 25°C

Warnings: NIL

The Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, in cooperation with the European Commission, is organising in Paphos on 25-26 June 2026 the High-level conference “Strengthening islands and coastal communities of the European Union” with the participation of President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela, European Commissioners, ministers from the Republic and other EU member states, and officials from European institutions.

According to a statement from the Cyprus Presidency Secretariat, the Conference in Paphos will include the presentation of the Commission’s two new, comprehensive strategies for islands and coastal areas by Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms Raffaele Fitto and the Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis.

The event will mark the adoption of the EU strategies for Islands and Coastal Communities, presenting the European Commission’s vision to strengthen economic competitiveness and diversification, support the sustainable blue economy, respond to climate change, enhance resilience and connectivity, and foster inclusive and vibrant communities while promoting the right to stay in these territories.

The conference will provide a platform for high-level policy dialogue on how EU policies, programmes and national strategies can better address the specific challenges and opportunities of island and coastal regions across the Union.

On the afternoon of 25 June, participants will tour an area of Paphos with co-financed projects, from Grigori Afxentiou Street to Khan Ibrahim.

The Conference proceedings will take place on 26 June, beginning at 9:30 a.m. with addresses by the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister of Malta. A group photograph will be taken at 10:30 a.m. The Conference will conclude at 1:00 p.m. and will be broadcast live on the Cyprus Presidency’s YouTube channel.

“I can assure you that our side is committed to resuming negotiations within the agreed framework, at the point where we stopped, in a bid to move a one step further,” House President Annita Demetriou said on Tuesday when asked to comment on a post by the Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhrman, and on the possibility of convening a 5+1 meeting and substantive talks.

“I cannot comment on what Mr. Erhrman says, but I can comment on what has been conveyed to the National Council, and to the outcome of our own personal contacts,” Demetriou said after a courtesy visit with the Archbishop of Cyprus at the Archbishopric. She added that she believes everyone who genuinely cares about resolving the Cyprus issue – “and not anything else” – must consider how they can help or contribute in that direction.

“There is a momentum right now that we want to utilise to bring us one step closer to the goal,” she said.

Responding to observations in public statements on both sides that “we are not at the same point – the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides, let alone Ankara,” Demetriou said that is precisely why contacts are taking place including those of Ms Holguin (María Angela Holguín, the UNSG’ Personal Envoy on Cyprus) and ours, and we are discussing at the European level as well.” She said that, at the end of the day, results will show whether progress can be made. “The facts are there: there are convergences, there is the framework, there is the basis for negotiation; these matters are on the table and being discussed. We know how we can move one step further – that is where our efforts are focused – and our side is unwavering on this and will proceed accordingly,” she said.

The House President noted that not everything depends on them, observing that discussions are also under way on EU-Turkey issues and other matters. The Cyprus problem, she said, must never be read in isolation; it is affected by developments in the region and beyond, and correct diplomatic and political moves are necessary.

Demetriou also said she held a courtesy meeting with Archbishop Georgios on the occasion of her re-election as President of the House, during which they discussed broader issues related to the political situation “which we are called upon to manage.”

“Respect is a given and we are exactly where we can exchange views, while each must fulfil the duties and role imposed upon them,” she added.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

After informal meetings in 2025, followed by a hiatus of several months, deliberations are underway for a new meeting in broader format to be held, as the term of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres nears its end. Holguín, Guterres’ Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties.

CUT Participates in Cross-Border Fine Arts Exhibition in Ireland

The Department of Fine Arts of the School of Fine and Applied Arts at the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) is participating in the international exhibition ‘BORDERING/UNBORDERING’, a cross-border collaboration between Fine Arts students from Cyprus and Romania.

The exhibition will be hosted at the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Ireland, in Dublin, from 30 June to 1 July 2026.

Held under the auspices of H.E. Louis Telemachou, Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Ireland, the exhibition is the result of a collaboration between CUT’s Department of Fine Arts and the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania, within the framework of the European University of Technology (EUt+) alliance.

Participating artists are Anastasia Zanti and Radu Oana Alessia, Denisa Cristea and Rafailia Christofi, Michalis Ioannou and Danu? Selever, and Ioana-Laura Lipotean and Maria Antoniou. Curatorial supervision is provided by Yiannis Christidis and Greti Papiu.

The exhibition proposes the border as a site of movement, negotiation and transformation.

Through their works, the participating artists approach cultural, geographic, political and psychological borders as porous structures-continually crossed, redefined and reimagined through artistic practice-where identities blur, meanings shift, and new forms of relation emerge.

The exhibition opening will take place on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, at 16:30, at the premises of the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Ireland (14 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin D02 W025).

CUT’s participation in the exhibition highlights the importance of international collaboration and artistic mobility, strengthening the University’s international outlook while offering its students valuable opportunities for creative expression and intercultural dialogue.

The members of the Prosecutorial Council of the Law Office have decided to forward to the Police and to the Council of Ministers the report of the Independent Authority Against Corruption and the Final Report of the Inspecting Officers on the investigation concerning the book “Mafia State” with a view to promptly initiate a criminal probe into possible offences.

A statement released on Tuesday by the Republic’s Prosecutors, noted the two reports, together with minutes and relevant evidence, were delivered to the Law Office on Monday, 22 June.

The statement said the Attorney-General’s Council took into account, the decision of the Attorney-General and the Deputy Attorney-General to recuse themselves from the process and to entrust handling of the case to the Council, as well as the Council of Ministers’ intention to appoint independent criminal investigators under Article 4 of the Criminal Procedure Law.

They also took into consideration the announcement of the Independent Authority Against Corruption, the strong public interest in the case given the nature and scope of the investigation, and the need to safeguard the uninterrupted functioning of institutions and the administration of justice.

On this basis, the Attorney-General’s Council decided to forward intact the two reports and all accompanying documents to the Police and the Council of Ministers so that the prescribed procedures may be set in motion to investigate any criminal offences that may arise from the investigation’s findings.

The Law Office’s statement noted that, at this stage and with a view to preserving the objectivity of the process, it was deemed appropriate that both the Authority’s Report and the Inspecting Officers’ Final Report be forwarded unchanged, without further assessment by the Law Office, in order to enable a broader criminal investigation into all possible offences that may emerge from them.

The Independent Authority Against Corruption (IAAC) on 16 June, issued a detailed announcement of its findings into the investigation of the allegations in the book ‘Mafia State’, in which it says that former President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades and other officials, individuals and legal entities, may be potentially criminally liable of corruption, while also stressing the principle of the presumption of innocence.

The probe of the IAAC is based on the book “Mafia State” written by journalist Makarios Droushiotis, who in the past worked as advisor to former President Nicos Anastasiades.

Cyprus and Serbia have agreed to strengthen their cooperation in the field of standardization, setting out a series of joint initiatives focused on sustainability, digital resilience and innovation, following a meeting between senior officials of their national standardization bodies in Ayia Napa.

The meeting brought together representatives of the Cyprus Organization for Standardization (CYS) and the Institute for Standardization of Serbia (ISS) and was held on June 17 on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting of the European standardization organizations CEN and CENELEC, hosted by CYS during Cyprus’ Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The discussions followed a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two organizations in 2023 and focused on defining practical steps for implementing their strategic partnership.

According to a joint statement, the cooperation will concentrate on several priority areas, including sustainable finance, circular economy, net-zero transition planning, greenhouse gas emissions verification and certification, cybersecurity, digital resilience, and capacity building in standardization.

The two organizations also agreed to expand cooperation through training programs, educational seminars, knowledge-sharing initiatives and the exchange of technical expertise and best practices. Opportunities for participation in European Union-funded projects and initiatives were also explored.

Particular emphasis was placed on strengthening the role of standardization in supporting innovation, competitiveness, sustainability and economic growth, while improving stakeholder engagement across industry, public administration and academia.

CYS and ISS further discussed closer collaboration within European and international standardization frameworks, including CEN, CENELEC, ETSI, ISO, IEC and ITU, with the aim of promoting wider adoption and effective implementation of standards.

The strengthened partnership is seen as a significant step in enhancing bilateral relations between Cyprus and Serbia, while contributing to quality improvement, sustainability, innovation and resilience in both countries’ economies and societies.

Apartments in Cyprus were 10.8% more expensive in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the corresponding quarter of 2025, according to data published on Tuesday by the Central Bank of Cyprus.

Overall, the Residential Property Price Index increased by 7.5% year-on-year, with apartments recording a price increase of 10.8% and houses by 3%, showing a slight slowdown.

In fact, compared to 2010, which is considered the reference year by the CBC, prices have increased by 27% for apartments nationwide, while in Limassol, the increase reaches 53%.

According to the CBC, the ongoing upward trend of the Residential Property Price Index in the first quarter of 2026 is attributed to the continued strong demand for housing purchases mainly from foreign buyers and to a lesser extent from domestic buyers, the rising construction costs, while the supply of housing is gradually increasing.

Compared to the previous quarter, the Residential Property Price Index (houses and apartments) in the first quarter of 2026 recorded a quarterly increase of 2.3% compared to an increase of 2.4% in the fourth quarter of 2025. This resulted from an accelerating quarterly rise of 1.5% in house prices and a slowing increase of 2.4% in apartment prices.

Regarding the demand for real estate, according to data from the Department of Land and Surveys (DLS), the total number of sales documents in the first quarter of 2026 recorded a significant annual increase. According to DLS data, the sales documents, which concern all types of properties, recorded an annual increase of 13.8% in the first quarter of 2026 (4,709 compared to 4,137 in the first quarter of 2025). This increase is mainly attributed to foreign buyers, while demand from domestic buyers also recorded an increase, albeit to a more limited extent.

Specifically, during the quarter under review, the number of properties sold to foreign buyers increased by 22.3% year-on-year (2,044 compared to 1,671 in the first quarter of 2025), while there was an annual increase of 8.1% in the number of properties sold to domestic buyers (2,665 compared to 2,466 in the first quarter of 2025).

Regarding the number of sales documents by province, most transactions have been made in Limassol (1,499), followed by Nicosia (1,065), Larnaca (994), and Paphos (919), while Famagusta (232) records the lowest number of transactions.

The percentage of domestic buyers stands at 84% in the Nicosia district and around 60% in the Limassol and Famagusta districts. In the Larnaca district, the ratio of domestic to foreign buyers was generally balanced, while in Paphos, foreign buyers dominate (75%).

Regarding the supply of housing, according to available monthly data from the Cyprus Statistical Service (CYSTAT), the number of residential units for which building permits were granted, which is a leading indicator of construction activity, recorded an annual increase of 79.2% in the first two months of 2026 (from 1,932 units in January-February 2025 to 3,463 units in the corresponding period of 2026)

Cyprus is set to receive pound 9.21 million in financial assistance from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to help address the consequences of the major wildfires that struck the island in 2025.

According to a press release issued by the European Parliament, members of the Committee on Budgets (BUDG) on Tuesday approved the mobilisation of a total of pound 144.1 million from the EU Solidarity Fund to support Cyprus, Romania and Spain in the aftermath of severe natural disasters that occurred in 2025.

More specifically, BUDG members approved the allocation of pound 9.21 million to Cyprus for the 2025 wildfires, pound 14.34 million to Romania for flooding, and pound 120.55 million to Spain for the devastating wildfires that affected the country.

According to the European Parliament, the proposal was adopted by the Committee on Budgets with 31 votes in favour, no votes against and no abstentions.

The press release recalled that Cyprus had already received an advance payment of pound 2.3 million to cover immediate recovery and restoration needs following the wildfires, while Spain had received a pound 30 million advance payment. The final amounts were calculated by the European Commission on the basis of the damage reported by the affected countries, in accordance with the Fund’s rules and the resources available.

The two major wildfires that broke out in Cyprus in July 2025 affected the districts of Limassol and Paphos, displacing thousands of residents, claiming two lives and destroying nearly 900 private properties. In addition, education and healthcare services in the affected areas were significantly disrupted.

According to the European Parliament, the mobilisation of the EUSF must be approved by both the Parliament’s plenary and the Council of the European Union. The relevant vote in plenary is expected to take place in July 2026, and once final approval has been granted, the financial assistance will be disbursed to the beneficiary countries in a single lump-sum payment.

Polish member of the European Parliament, Bogdan Rzonca, from ECR political group, is the rapporteur of the report, while on behalf of the EPP Democratic Rally MEP, Michalis Hadjipantela, is the shadow rapporteur.