Category: Cyprus News Agency

Eastern Mediterranean Policy Note

Issue 124b, June 2026

EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN POLICY NOTE

entitled

REVISITING RELATIONS BETWEEN CYPRUS AND THE UK IN AN ERA OF UNCERTAINTY

by

Mary Varda

Read the Note

Department of Labour Inspection of the Cyprus Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance with the support of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), is organising a Conference on occupational safety and health titled ‘Positive Safety Culture towards Vision Zero’.

The Conference takes place June 11 at the Filoxenia Conference Center, a press release by the Secretariat of the Cyprus EU Council Presidency said here on Tuesday.

Minister Marinos Moushouttas, Director-General of the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Dr. Mario Nava and the Executive Director of EU-OSHA William Cockburn will deliver opening remarks.

The Conference will host representatives of reputable European organizations as well as experts in the field of work safety and health.

Distinguished scientists and academics will develop topics such as a positive safety and health culture, climate change, mental health, occupational accidents and occupational diseases and will highlight the research work, as well as the good practices that are implemented.

The ultimate goal of the Conference, the press release reads, is the exchange of views with the main goal of strengthening work safety and health throughout the European Union and the vision of Zero Occupational Accidents (Vision Zero).

Current geopolitical developments require deeper regional cooperation, diversification of supply sources and routes and strengthening energy infrastructure, Cyprus’ Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Michalis Damianos, said at the 10th Ministerial Meeting of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF), held in Washington, at the headquarters of the US Chamber of Commerce.

According to a press release by the Ministry of Energy, the meeting was attended by the Energy Ministers of the Forum’s member states, while observers included the United States Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, as well as representatives of the European Union and the World Bank.

Damianos, in his intervention, it said, underlined the strategic role of the EMGF as a pillar of regional cooperation and energy security in the Eastern Mediterranean. ‘He reiterated the support of the Republic of Cyprus in the further development of the Organisation and its Long-Term Strategy, emphasising that natural gas must remain at the core of its activities, alongside the development of collaborations in sectors such as hydrogen, electricity interconnections, power systems and renewable energy’, it adds.

The Minister, it said, pointed out that current geopolitical developments require deeper regional cooperation, diversification of supply sources and routes and strengthening energy infrastructure ‘He also stressed that the Eastern Mediterranean can significantly contribute to Europe’s energy security as a reliable alternative source of supply, while noting that the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union creates additional opportunities to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between the EU and the region’, it adds.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Damianos held a bilateral meeting with Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Badawi. During the meeting, the two Ministers discussed progress on joint Cyprus-Egypt energy projects, particularly regarding the development of the ‘Cronos’ and ‘Aphrodite’ natural gas fields, as well as prospects for further strengthening cooperation between the two countries, it said.

The Minister also held a meeting at the White House with Jarrod P. Agen, Executive Director of the National Energy Dominance Council, during which they discussed energy policy and security issues, as well as opportunities to further deepen energy cooperation between the Republic of Cyprus and the United States, it adds.

On Tuesday, Damianos is to participate in the Atlantic Council’s Eastern Mediterranean Energy Business Forum and deliver remarks at the 41st Annual PSEKA Conference.

On Wednesday, he is to take part in a high-level discussion at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum on ‘Europe’s Path from Energy Crisis to Lasting Resilience’.

On Thursday, he will travel to Houston to attend the Ministerial Meeting of the 3+1 cooperation framework and the official inauguration ceremony of the Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center at the Baker Institute of Rice University.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (B)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1200 09/06/2026 UNTIL 1200 10/06/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1011hPa (hectopascal)

Weak low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine, but local mist and low cloud are expected, overnight and in the morning, with risk of fog.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in mist and very poor in fog

Sea surface temperature: 24°C

Warnings: NIL

Press Release

The Oceanography Center of the University of Cyprus coordinates a new research project on climate resilience in the Mediterranean

A transnational alliance of scientific institutions for the protection of the seas through the MedJICARP project

A new research project, led by the Oceanography Center of the University of Cyprus, aspires to change the way the Mediterranean monitors and addresses the impacts of climate change. With a total budget of pound 2,808,453 from the Interreg NEXT MED Programme and a duration of three years, the MedJICARP project brings together scientists and organizations from eight countries, with the common goal of strengthening the region’s resilience to the climate crisis.

The Mediterranean Sea in crisis

The Mediterranean Sea is very sensitive to climate change, warming 20% faster than the global average, with marine ecosystems already impacted. Issues such as rising sea water temperatures, increasing salinity and invasive species, are already affecting sectors such as fisheries and tourism. The eastern Mediterranean in particular, is a hotspot of rising sea water temperatures, and therefore, countries in this region are in urgent need of increased climate resilience and adaptation capacity. As a result of large-scale warming, it is expected that the frequency and intensity of extreme events will increase. Such events include storm surges, erosion, flash floods, and Mediterranean hurricanes (‘Medicanes’). Further, many coastal areas are vulnerable targets for maritime safety and marine pollution. To respond to scientific and societal challenges in the Mediterranean, there is the need for a sustainable and cost-effective multi-platform observing infrastructure.

What MedJICARP will deliver

MedJICARP aims to provide a platform for the exchange of scientific knowledge, best practices, and lessons learned in operational oceanography for climate change monitoring. By combining expertise, modern equipment, and scientific collaboration, MedJICARP aims to:

Establish a transnational monitoring network of the marine environment, collecting and processing real-time data.

Develop forecasting tools for a better understanding of phenomena such as sea level rise and Mediterranean cyclones.

Strengthen civil protection and preparedness by providing authorities and relevant stakeholders with data for targeted adaptation measures.

Support fisheries and maritime businesses with reliable information to help them adapt to changing conditions.

Empower NGOs and civil society by providing access to data, educational tools, and collaborative platforms to promote adaptation policies.

Train and connect researchers and students by offering data and cooperation opportunities that will enhance climate research in the region.

Inform and raise public awareness so that citizens understand the impacts of climate change and actively engage in adaptation actions.

An international collaboration

The project brings together nine leading scientific institutions from eight countries:

University of Cyprus Oceanography Centre (Cyprus) – Coordinator

Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute – CMMI (Cyprus)

Hellenic Centre of Marine Research (Greece)

L-Università ta’ Malta (Malta)

Università degli Studi di Palermo (Italy)

Instituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale – Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (Italy)

National Council for Scientific Research (Lebanon)

National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (Egypt)

National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies (Tunisia)

Total beer deliveries in May 2026 fell by 2.4% compared with May 2025, mainly due to a significant 31% decline in exports, according to data published by the Cyprus Statistical Service on Monday.

Specifically, in May 2026, total beer deliveries (domestic market and exports combined) amounted to 4,389,649 liters, compared with 4,497,608 liters in May 2025, representing a 2.4% decrease.

Beer deliveries to the domestic market increased by 0.3% compared with May 2025, reaching 4,127,559 liters in May 2026.

In contrast, beer exports recorded a sharp decline of 31.3%, falling to 262,090 liters from 381,641 liters in May of the previous year.

Compared with the previous month, total beer deliveries increased by 984,623 liters, or 28.9%.

UNSG personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin said she is quite positive and optimistic following a meeting she had on Monday afternoon with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman.

She described the meeting as very productive, adding that so was her meeting earlier with President Nikos Christodoulides.

“We are preparing the meeting of five plus one with the Secretary General. We don’t know yet the date, exactly the date, but in the coming months, July or August. So I am quite positive and optimistic, so we continue to push for that meeting and I hope we can have good results”, she said.

In a remark by a journalist that President Christodoulides said earlier that during this 5+1 meeting the resumption of talks is expected to be announced, the envoy replied: “We don’t know, you know, we will see what happens in that meeting. And if this [is announced] could be very good news, but I prefer to wait”.

She said that she is meeting with FM of Turkey Monday and then she is flying to Athens to see Greek FM.

Replying to a question she said that she is meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader again probably Saturday.

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.

In 2025 the Secretary-General hosted two informal meetings on Cyprus, in March in Geneva and in July in New York, while a tripartite meeting with the Cyprus leaders was also held in late September, at the end of the UN General Assembly High Level Week. An informal meeting in broader format that was expected to take place before the end of 2025, is yet to be announced. María Angela Holguín, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties.

The importance of strengthening scientific cooperation for the protection of marine ecosystems in the Mediterranean under climate change conditions is highlighted by the Oceanography Centre of the University of Cyprus on the occasion of the United Nations World Oceans Day 2026.

The Oceanography Centre of the University of Cyprus participates in the United Nations World Oceans Day 2026, observed on 8 June, under the theme: ‘Revisiting: Beyond the world we know, a new relationship with our ocean.’

‘The theme calls for a redefinition of humanity’s relationship with the ocean and for the strengthening of the protection of marine ecosystems,’ the announcement states.

‘The celebration takes place at a time of increased international cooperation on ocean governance, following the entry into force of the Global Ocean Treaty,’ it adds.

The announcement notes that the Oceanography Centre contributes to the understanding of the marine environment of Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean, which is achieved through research activities and monitoring systems.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (A)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 08/06/2026 UNTIL 0600 09/06/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1011hPa (hectopascal)

Weak low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine but during dawn and tonight, locally increased low cloud will be present with local mist and or fog.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in mist and very poor in fog

Sea surface temperature: 24°C

Warnings: NIL

Continuous European support for Ukraine, de-escalation efforts in the Middle East, maritime security and common defence projects are the main issues to be discussed during the Informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers, taking place on Monday in Nicosia.

In his remarks upon his arrival at the meeting, the Minister of Defence, Vasilis Palmas, said that the topics the Ministers will be addressing are issues related to Europe’s defence and security, matters concerning the war in Ukraine and this protracted crisis, and all issues related to the crisis in the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean.

‘I believe we will have a substantive and, at the same time, constructive discussion on these three issues. The European Union’s defence and security issues are now a top priority for the Union, and we will address them in a substantive and practical manner to find solutions that strengthen this effort, which concerns approximately 500 million citizens of the European Union and, of course, concerns the leading role that the Union must play in European and broader affairs’, he noted.

In her remarks, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, said that Ministers will be discussing about what more the EU can do to help Ukraine, also how to really make the defence industries work together.

She also referred to the situation in Hormuz, where over the night there was again escalation. ‘I think the region does not need escalation, but actually that parties sit down to a negotiation table and agree’ she noted.

About the EU Operation ASPIDES, Kallas said the Ministers will be discussing what more can be done, adding that today also it will be the first time where the freedom of navigation sanctions will be applied on Iran.

On maritime security, she said Ministers will discuss the Russian shadow fleet issue.

‘Our Operation IRINI has changed the rules of engagement and has now started to board the ships as well. The idea is to change the best practises, what different countries are doing with those ships, because it is really posing a danger. Also the idea is to curb Russia from the funding of this war’, she added.

Referring to the elections in Armenia, Kallas said that the turnout was really good. ‘The votes are still being counted, but it looks like that Armenia’s people, although under heavy Russian pressure, still chose to have a European future, which is a good thing. We are trying to help them as much as possible also on their future reforms’, she commented.

On Ukraine, she said there is now a new Hungarian government, which also means that we are moving on with the unblocking of the pound 6.6 billion in the European Peace Facility.

‘We are actually discussing today also how to make use of those funds. The initial idea was to have the reimbursement for the contributions, to have the burden sharing. But of course, now is also the question whether it should be focused on more giving the aid to Ukraine or actually reimbursements or those contributions that have been already made. We have put forward a proposal, a compromise that takes into account both sides, but I think the unblocking of the 6.6 billion is a very important step that we are working on’, she added.

For his part, the European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, said that today Ministers will discuss possibilities to increase support for Ukraine defence spending.

‘Besides Ukraine support loan, of course, there are also proposals from member states to spend the same amount as they were spending last year, so it will be around 70 billion. And those money, again, should be targeted to increase the prevail of Ukraine. And that is how peace can be brought’, he noted.

Asked is the EU has done enough to better protect itself against accidents such as the one happened in Romania, Kubilius said the EU is trying to do everything to support member states in developing their capabilities which are needed to protect against drones.

Member states are starting to get up. Now, exactly in June, we need to have common agreement on so-called European defence projects of common interest, among them, for example, the Drone Defence Initiative or Eastern Flank Watch is one of the priority projects.

‘This is, again, the first time when Europe is starting to do pan-European projects, and in drone defence, definitely, we need to learn how to be much more effective in detection of drones, and that is why European Commission is ready to come to member states to assist them, but member states by themselves need to really be much more proactive and agreeing for regional projects because it’s very important that those defence capabilities should be interoperable’, he added.

The Minister of Defence of France, Catherine Vautrin, said that Cyprus is a truly important partner for France, and congratulated Cyprus ‘on the dynamism of their EU Presidency since the start of this year.’

On the situation in Ukraine, the French Minister reiterated her country’s support for Ukraine, following on from the statement issued last night after the meeting in London between French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky.

‘It was an important moment and we stand, of course, alongside Ukraine, including in our ability to supply the equipment Ukraine may need’, she added.

On maritime security, Vautrin said that the operations being carried out as part of the ASPIDES operation are very important, adding ministers will discuss the ghost fleet, an issue on which France is particularly committed.

‘We boarded a fourth vessel from the ghost fleet a few days ago. For us, this is a matter of freedom of navigation, of course, and these are issues we are pleased to be able to work on this morning’, she further said.

Ministers will be discussing a European defence strategy, she said in closing. ‘As a reminder, France is deeply committed to the concept of European sovereignty and national sovereignty. Defence is a matter for each individual European nation. That said, discussing threats and coordinating our efforts is an important part of the process. Coordinating our defence industrial base is, of course, also a major issue for Europeans’, she concluded.

Minister of Defence of Greece, Nikos Dendias, said that EU Ministers will discuss, in addition to Ukraine, issues related to security and freedom of navigation, noting that in this context, Operation ASPIDES, which is led by Greece, is of central importance: ‘The role it will play, the expansion of its mandate, and, of course, the safety of those participating in it.’

He added that Ministers will discuss issues concerning the European Union’s defence strategy, ‘our common defence, how we can create a pillar complementary to NATO, based on Article 42.7, of the concept of mutual assistance, mutual aid, and European solidarity.’

The Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Defence of Germany, Sebastian Hartmann, said that Ukraine relies on EU support, but it is also demonstrating that this support is having an impact.

‘The aid is reaching its destination, investments are being made, and, little by little, Ukraine is also gaining the upper hand on the battlefield. We are expanding our support into a strategic partnership. We are also learning from Ukraine; we are seeing a large number of joint ventures and lessons being learnt, including those gained on the battlefield, however bitter that may be’, he continued.

‘We see that this style of warfare is an expression of how little success can be achieved on the battlefield. That is why we must not slacken our efforts now. It is good that, with the change of government in Hungary, funds are now being released, including regarding the relevant support loan issues, and that a clear decision has been made here’, he noted.

He added that the Russian shadow fleet poses an additional risk to the safety of maritime routes and to marine environment, adding that Europe wishes to take on more responsibility and will do so.

According to Hartmann, the issue of maritime security also leads to the Strait of Hormuz where Germany has taken a clear stance.

‘We are ready, we have already deployed our ships, the Fulda and the Mosel, to the Mediterranean, we are prepared, once the necessary conditions are in place, to demonstrate a multinational commitment and show our presence there. It is in our interest that this strait is reopened and that the relevant raw materials can pass through this area. It is unacceptable for it to be blockaded. Various options are conceivable. Germany has set out on this path. We are ready to take on responsibility within an appropriate multinational framework and, subject to the necessary mandate, naturally within the constitutional framework, including through the German Bundestag. We have a lot of work to do’, he further noted.

The Minister of Defence of Belgium, Theo Francken, referred to the importance of the European operation ASPIDES, as freedom of navigation is paramount for Belgium. ‘We are a maritime nation, so we will step up and put a frigate, contribute a frigate to the operation. That is very important news for today’, he noted.

He also referred to investments in military mobility, on which point he said ‘we need a military Schengen now’.

‘European Union has to really fix that the problems with the border to get troops and goods as soon as possible to the east. So that is Belgium is leading nation and we need to really to step forward on that point’, he stressed.

The Irish Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence of Ireland, Thomas Byrne, said that with so much instability in the world, it is more important than ever that the European Union works together, cooperates together and speaks as commonly as we possibly can be.

Regarding Support for Ukraine, he said it is another important part of the work the ?inisters will do.

‘As we look forward to the Irish Presidency, we thank our hosts here in Cyprus for the work that they’ve done over the last number of months. I think that we can look forward to the Irish Government prioritising security issues as well to make sure, again, that we can have that European voice, which is so important in the world’, he continued.

Asked about reports on an Irish aluminium factory’s exports to Russia, Byrne there is an investigation going on at the moment in relation to that particular facility, which does supply other places other than Russia. ‘When the results of that investigation are known, I have no doubt that the Government will discuss that with the European Commission. We have supported all sanctions packages so far, and we have worked really hard on them, and we continue to do so. We have been a really, really strong voice of support for Ukraine from the very start’, he added.

The Vice-minister of National Defence of Lithuania, Karaolis Aleksa, said that the EU should accelerate common European defence projects, specifically the Eastern Flank Watch, focussing on the counter-drone defence, air defence, counter-mobility.

He added it is also important to continue supporting Ukraine bilaterally and also at European level, therefore the swift implementation of Ukraine support loan is crucial, while it is also important to continue efforts and to further restrain Russian Shadow Fleet.

The Chair of the European Parliament Committee on Security and Defence, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, said that Ukraine is, in military terms, in a situation that is truly admirable and from which we can learn. So, we must keep at it.

‘The pressure on Putin is now immense, because some people in Russia are beginning to realise that you cannot invade a neighbouring country without eventually feeling the consequences yourself. Moreover, we are currently debating to what extent Russians should still be allowed to visit Europe as tourists. Well, my view is that we must be very clear on this: entering Europe is a privilege, not a given. We should take a much tougher stance on this’, she noted.

‘Putin is of course trying to escalate the situation, to ramp up the pressure within the EU, so to speak, and to scare people. That’s a classic tactic. What I mean is, there is now sufficient drone production. We can see in Ukraine that the technology is evolving on a weekly basis, so it makes no sense for us to go and buy a million drones and just store them away somewhere, on the assumption that we’ll need them. Instead, we must be able to scale up and respond depending on the nature of the attacks. And in this case, we must support the countries so that something like this does not happen’, she added.