Category: Cyprus News Agency

Patients in Cyprus are waiting more than 500 days on average to access new medicines, one of the longest delays in Europe, as officials warned on Friday that the EU is falling behind global competitors in pharmaceutical innovation and access.

Speaking at a conference in Nicosia titled ‘Unlocking Europe’s Life Science Potential: A Policy Agenda for Competitiveness, Innovation and Patient Access’, Cyprus and European officials said patients face growing delays in accessing new treatments, while Europe risks losing ground in global pharmaceutical investment.

Cyprus Energy, Commerce and Industry Minister Michael Damianos said the EU must act urgently to boost competitiveness and ensure faster access to medicines, particularly for smaller member states such as Cyprus.

‘The evidence is clear,’ he said, noting that the EU’s share of global clinical trial starts has fallen to around 12%, compared with about 30% in China. ‘This is not simply a statistic – it means fewer opportunities for European patients to access innovative treatments early,’ Damianos noted.

He added that it takes on average around 24 months for new medicines to reach patients in Europe, compared with just four months in the United States.

‘For patients waiting for life-saving therapies, these delays are not administrative – they are deeply personal and often critical,’ he said.

Damianos outlined four priorities for EU policy: strengthening research and development incentives, modernising regulatory systems, improving access across member states and accelerating digital transformation in healthcare.

‘No patient should wait years for treatment simply because of where they live,’ he said.

Earlier, Nathalie Moll, Director-General of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), said access to medicines in Cyprus has deteriorated, with average waiting times rising from more than 400 days in 2022 to over 500 days today.

‘Access to medicines remains a real challenge in Cyprus,’ she said.

Preliminary findings from EFPIA’s Patients WAIT Indicator Survey show some improvement in availability, with Cyprus rising from 29% to 39%, just below the EU average of 45%, though the gap remains significant.

Moll said access delays stem from multiple factors, including regulatory, pricing and reimbursement processes, as well as underinvestment in innovative medicines. Smaller markets such as Cyprus face additional challenges, including infrastructure constraints, limited patient populations for orphan drugs and funding gaps for advanced therapies.

She added that while companies aim to bring medicines to patients quickly, national procedures play a decisive role in delays.

In his address, Cyprus Health Minister Neophytos Charalambides said ensuring fair and timely access to medicines is a key priority of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU.

‘In this context, our key word is autonomy,’ he said, referring to the EU’s ability to guarantee access to medicines and healthcare even in times of crisis.

He stressed that improving availability, affordability and accessibility of medicines, alongside strengthening health system resilience, is central to policy efforts, while innovation must reach patients in all member states without delay.

‘Medical innovation achieves its full value only when it reaches the people who need it,’ he said.

In a video message, European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi said EU reforms aim to strengthen the life sciences sector and speed up access to innovation.

He highlighted the proposed Biotech Act and broader pharmaceutical reform, describing it as the most significant overhaul of EU medicines legislation in more than 20 years.

Opening the event, KEFEA President Kyriakos Mikellis said Europe must ensure its policy environment keeps pace with scientific progress, stressing the need for alignment between national and EU priorities.

The conference, held under the auspices of the Cyprus EU Presidency, brought together policymakers, industry and healthcare stakeholders to discuss strengthening Europe’s life sciences sector while ensuring equitable patient access.

President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman who met on Friday “exchanged views on substance and the way forward and they reiterated their appreciation for the UN Secretary-General’s sustained commitment” and agreed on a series of issues.

According to a UN press release, “the Turkish Cypriot and the Greek Cypriot leaders met today at the Residence of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Cyprus, Khassim Diagne. The meeting took place in a positive atmosphere, and they had a productive discussion.”

They exchanged views on substance and the way forward and they reiterated their appreciation for the UN Secretary-General’s sustained commitment, and agreed on the following.

They agreed on a framework for the establishment of a consultative body for civil society engagement, to work for the preparation of a plan for the conduct of religious services throughout the island for an initial six-month period to be renewed, to continue to work towards a coordinated response to tackle the foot and mouth disease, and to establish a sub-committee under the Technical Committee on Economic and Commercial matters for the discussion of issues related to the designation of products already designated as PGOs/PGIs.

The leaders also agreed to meet again in the near future, the press release ends.

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.

Department of Meteorology

Today’s weather and temperatures for Cyprus according to the Department of Meteorology

Date 08/05/2026

Station

TEMPERATURE (C) (FROM 20:00 PC of the previous one until the time of the show)

Highest

Lowest

Humidity at

1200 UTC

Nicosia (Athalassa)

29

15

22

Larnaka Airport

28

15

49

Limassol

27

12

36

Pafos Airport

23

15

69

Frenaros

27

13

36

Prodromos

18

8

46

Polis Pafos

23

11

69

Eurobank’s adjusted net profit in Cyprus reached pound 103 million on an annual basis, according to the financial results for the first quarter of the year. In addition, total assets in Cyprus stood at pound 28.7 billion, while customer deposits amounted to pound 23.8 billion.

Loans grew organically by pound 1.1 billion in the first quarter of 2026, of which pound 0.4 billion was in Greece and pound 0.7 billion in operations outside Greece. Total loan balances (before provisions) stood at pound 57.1 billion as of March 31, 2026, of which pound 37.7 billion was in Greece and pound 9.0 billion in Cyprus.

According to Eurobank’s financial results, the bank posted a strong performance in the first quarter of 2026, with organic loan growth of pound 1.1 billion (+9.8% year-on-year) and an increase in assets under management of pound 0.3 billion (+25.9% year-on-year).

Earnings per share stood at pound 0.09, with operations outside Greece contributing 47% to adjusted net income, while return on tangible equity reached 15.1%.

Tangible equity per share stood at pound 2.55, while the capital adequacy ratio (CAD) reached 20.4% and the CET1 ratio stood at 15.4%. Additionally, the NPE ratio stood at 2.6%, while the provision-to-NPE ratio reached 94.1%.

In the press release, Eurobank’s CEO Fokion Karavias said that ‘despite a challenging environment, Eurobank continues its sustained solid performance and organic growth. During the first quarter of 2026, credit expansion was strong across all our core markets, with organic loan growth totaling pound 1.1bn and the loan book growing by 10% year-on-year.’

Net interest income rose to pound 664m

———————-

Additionally, net interest income rose by 4.0% year-on-year to pound 664m. Net interest margin receded by 7 basis points year-on-year to 2.46%, reflecting primarily the reduction in ECB rates (1Q2026 average ECB Deposit Facility Rate of 200 basis points, compared to 279 basis points in 1Q2025).

Net fee and commission income expanded by 19.9% year-on-year to pound 203m, mainly due to fees from lending and wealth management activities, as well as insurance income following the acquisition of the ERB insurance subsidiaries in Cyprus in 2Q25. Fee and commission income accounted for 75 basis points of total assets.

Core income grew by 7.4% year-on-year to pound 866m, while total operating income increased by 6.1% year-on-year to pound 877m. Operating expenses rose by 8.5% year-on-year to pound 330m. The cost-to-core income ratio and the cost-to-total income ratio reached 38.1% and 37.6%, respectively, in 1Q2026.

Core pre-provision income increased by 6.6% year-on-year to pound 536m, while pre-provision income rose by 4.7% to pound 547m. Loan loss provisions increased by 0.3% year-on-year to pound 76m, accounting for 55 basis points of average net loans.

Core operating profit before tax rose by 7.8% year-on-year to pound 460m. Adjusted net profit increased by 0.7% year-on-year to pound 351m.

Reported net profit reached pound 331m and includes, among others, a VES cost of pound 35m at Eurobank Ltd and a pound 19m gain from discontinued operations, while EPS and return on tangible book value reached pound 0.09 and 15.1%, respectively.

The adjusted net profit of the non-Greek operations decreased by 10.4% year-on-year to pound 165m, contributing 47.0% to the Group’s profitability. Specifically, adjusted net profit in Cyprus declined by 14.7% year-on-year to pound 103m, while adjusted net profit in Bulgaria increased by 2.2% year-on-year to pound 56m.

The NPE ratio stood at 2.6%, while provisions over NPEs reached 94.1% as of March 31, 2026 and capital adequacy remained robust, with Total CAD and CET1 ratios reaching 20.4% and 15.4%, respectively, at March 31, 2026.

Tangible book value per share reached pound 2.55 at March 31, 2026, up 6.7% year-on-year and total assets amounted to pound 108.0bn at March 31, 2026, of which pound 62.3bn were in Greece, pound 28.7bn in Cyprus and pound 14.0bn in Bulgaria.

Loans grew organically by pound 1.1bn in 1Q2026, of which pound 0.4bn was in Greece and pound 0.7bn in non-Greek operations. Total gross loans amounted to pound 57.1bn at March 31, 2026, of which pound 37.7bn were in Greece, pound 9.0bn in Cyprus and pound 9.3bn in Bulgaria. At Group level, business loans stood at pound 35.2bn, mortgages at pound 13.1bn and consumer loans at pound 5.0bn.

Customer deposits amounted to pound 82.4bn at March 31, 2026 (down by pound 0.2bn in 1Q2026), of which pound 45.0bn were in Greece, pound 23.8bn in Cyprus and pound 11.1bn in Bulgaria. The loan-to-deposit ratio and the liquidity coverage ratio stood at 67.6% and 165.3%, respectively, at March 31, 2026.

Managed funds grew by 25.9% year-on-year to pound 10.2bn at March 31, 2026. Private banking client assets and liabilities increased by 6.2% year-on-year to pound 14.1bn at March 31, 2026.

Half of the Group’s profits come from non-Greek operations

——————–

Eurobank’s CEO also said that in Greece, corporate loans experienced significant growth due to increased investments, while mortgages are gradually recovering. Wealth management delivered solid results, achieving a 26% year-on-year increase in managed funds.

Earnings per share reached 9 cents, with non-Greek operations contributing around half of the Group’s profits. He added that Eurobank delivered these results while the global economy continues to be affected by developments in the Gulf region.

‘Although the impact is still difficult to quantify, there is a broad expectation that growth prospects, both globally and regionally, will weaken, with GDP estimates already revised downward. However, all our core markets are expected to continue outperforming the eurozone growth rate,’ he said.

He also noted that for Greece and Cyprus in particular, entering this international crisis from a solid fiscal position is a major advantage that should be safeguarded through prudent fiscal policy, while also providing the necessary relief measures to vulnerable households and businesses.

‘Overall, the first quarter demonstrated robust top-line performance and reaffirmed our ability to sustain organic growth. As such, without underestimating the volatile geopolitical environment and its adverse impact on economic growth, we are on track to deliver our 2026 plan,’ he added.

Cyprus is among the European Union countries with the highest rates of beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine, according to Eurostat data published on Friday.

Specifically, as of 31 March 2026, 24,890 people in Cyprus were recorded under temporary protection status, of whom 16,395 were women and 8,495 were men. In terms of population ratio, Cyprus ranks fourth in the EU, with 25.32 beneficiaries per 1,000 inhabitants.

At EU level, the total number of third-country nationals who fled Ukraine and were granted temporary protection reached 4.33 million. Compared with the end of February 2026, this represents a decrease of 68,980 people, or 1.6%.

The largest numbers of beneficiaries were recorded in Germany, with 1,274,955 people (29.4% of the EU total), in Poland with 961,405 people (22.2%), and in Czechia with 379,820 people (8.8%).

President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, assured on Friday that compensation payments to livestock farmers affected by foot and mouth disease (FMD) will begin immediately, noting that discussions on the issue are being held on a daily basis.

Speaking to reporters upon his arrival at the ‘Makarios III’ Technical and Vocational Education and Training School in Nicosia to attend an event, the President called for cooperation from all parties in addressing the crisis.

‘This is a major challenge which, in order to be dealt with, requires the cooperation of everyone. And the sooner we all realise this, the more closely we cooperate, the sooner we will also deal with foot-and-mouth disease,’ he said.

Asked what has changed following his intervention regarding the livestock farmers’ protests, President Christodoulides said he welcomed the decision to lift the protest measures.

‘First of all, I would like to welcome the decision to lift the measures. Of course, anyone can protest, but without disrupting the daily lives of fellow citizens,’ he said.

The President noted that the government has been managing the crisis from the outset and said that the announcements made on Thursday were the result of dialogue with organised groups representing livestock farmers.

‘We are in constant contact with all organised livestock farmers’ groups. Yesterday’s announcements, for example, were based on the dialogue that had developed. I remind you that many meetings have taken place, including those under my presidency, and we continue this major effort to address the foot and mouth disease crisis,’ he added.

Referring to the economic dimension of the crisis, President Christodoulides said the government’s prudent fiscal policy allows the management of such crises and expressed satisfaction with what he described as willingness for further cooperation from all sides.

Asked when compensation payments would begin, the President replied: ‘Immediately, and absolutely no one will be left out.’

Thousands of animals, including cattle and sheep, have been affected in several livestock units initially in Larnaca and then in Nicosia district, following a foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, first reported on February 20. This followed an FMD outbreak in the island’s Turkish-occupied areas last December. Authorities proceed with a nationwide vaccination campaign of animals  to contain the virus, while EU rules require all animals in the infected areas to be culled, bringing about a series of repercussions in livestock farming and other agricultural economic activities. Halloumi, Cyprus’ top agricultural export product, has been spared. Experts reiterate that FMD is not dangerous to humans.

Liver disease affects millions, yet awareness remains low, European Liver Patients’ Association (ELPA) President Marko Korenjak has stressed, in an interview with CNA, on the occasion of the European Liver Screening Tour 2026 that will take place for the first time in Cyprus on the 9,10 and 11 of May.

The initiative includes free, non-invasive liver screening for the public at the Mall of Cyprus, in Nicosia, – Saturday May 9 (10am-6pm), Sunday May 10 (10am-6pm) and Monday May 11 (10am-12pm) – with the aim of raising awareness and strengthening prevention.

Korenjak told CNA that liver disease is often called a ‘silent disease’ because many people do not know they are affected until the condition becomes advanced.

He stressed the importance of prevention as liver disease is increasing across Europe and said that the EU needs to do more.

The European Liver Screening Tour 2026 is an important European public health initiative organized by the European Liver Patients’ Association (ELPA) in collaboration with one of its members, the Cypriot national liver patients association Promitheas, he said, and thanked the President of Promitheas, Yiannoula Koulla.

For ELPA, he added, this is the most fruitful way to connect European policies with local realities.

‘Cyprus is proud to be one of the first countries hosting this initiative. The tour offers free, fast, and non-invasive liver health screenings for the public’, Korenjak added.

He explained that citizens can receive a quick liver assessment in only a few minutes, without pain or complicated procedures.

The goal is to identify possible liver problems before symptoms appear, he stressed.

‘ The purpose of bringing the tour to Cyprus is to raise awareness about liver health, promote prevention and early detection, and encourage people to take liver health seriously’.

Pointing out that liver disease is often called a ‘silent disease’ he said that this is because many people do not know they are affected until the condition becomes advanced.

‘Through this initiative, we also want to support national efforts to improve prevention strategies and public understanding of liver disease risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, alcohol-related harm, and viral hepatitis’ he noted.

Referring to the importance of prevention, Korenjak stressed that prevention is essential because many liver diseases can be prevented or effectively managed if detected early.

One of the main challenges is that liver disease often develops silently, with patients feeling well while damage progresses, he said.

‘Early screening and awareness are therefore crucial to prevent serious outcomes. Prevention includes healthy lifestyles, reducing harmful alcohol consumption, vaccination and treatment for hepatitis B and C, maintaining a healthy weight, and regular check-ups’.

Early intervention not only saves lives but also reduces healthcare costs, he went on to say.

Prevention, he told CNA, must also be addressed at the policy level.

‘As the EU finalises cardiovascular ‘Safe Heart’ plans, liver disease should be recognised as a key but often overlooked risk factor within the broader cardio-renal-metabolic spectrum. At the same time, the update of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan is an opportunity to address liver cancer, which remains one of the most preventable cancers’ he stressed.

ELPA, he told CNA, is advocating for three priorities, recognising that ‘liver health is public health,’ integrating liver disease into national healthcare and NCD strategies, and strengthening early detection, especially in primary care.

‘Once these initiatives are adopted, ELPA will mobilise its network of 39 member organisations across 29 European countries to drive stronger policies and awareness at national level’ Korenjak pointed out.

Invited to refer to the goals of this European tour, he said that first, they want to make liver health more visible across Europe.

He explained that liver disease affects millions, yet awareness remains low.

Second, they aim to promote early detection and encourage governments to include liver screening and prevention in national public health strategies.

Third, they want to reduce stigma, he said, adding that liver disease is often misunderstood, but it can affect anyone.

Finally, they aim to empower people to take a proactive approach to their health.

‘Checking liver health should become as routine as checking blood pressure or cholesterol. Mobile screening units are also increasingly recognised within European prevention initiatives, such as the cardiovascular ‘Safe Heart’ plans, and we are proud that ELPA is contributing to this effort’ Korenjak said.

This year, he went on to say, the tour will take place in seven countries, where they are already seeing strong interest and real local impact.

‘Through a ‘link-to-care’ approach, we are building connections with healthcare professionals, patient organisations, and national stakeholders, including ministries of health’ he said.

Asked about the situation of European liver patients and what more can be done, he said that ‘the situation remains very serious’.

‘Liver disease is increasing across Europe, particularly due to obesity, metabolic disease, alcohol-related harm, and viral hepatitis. Fatty liver disease alone affects a large proportion of the European population’ Korenjak pointed out.

Unfortunately, he said, ‘many patients are still diagnosed too late, when the disease has already progressed to cirrhosis or liver cancer’.

In addition, he noted that there are also important inequalities across Europe.

Access to screening, specialist care, and treatment differs significantly between countries, he said.

At the same time, he noted, Europe already has successful screening programmes for diseases such as colorectal cancer and breast cancer, that ‘clearly demonstrate that early detection saves lives and improves patient outcomes’.

‘Liver disease should receive similar attention within national public health systems. Much more can still be done. We need stronger prevention policies, better education for healthcare professionals and the public, earlier diagnosis pathways, and greater political recognition that liver disease is a major European health challenge’ he stressed.

It is important to consider structured liver screening or early detection programmes in Europe, he went on to say.

Today, Korenjak added, several non-invasive screening options already exist, and medical experts can help determine which approach would be most effective and sustainable for each country.

‘Most importantly, liver health must become part of broader national and European strategies for non-communicable diseases, cancer prevention, obesity, and diabetes. Early action can save many lives’ he concluded.

President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides stressed on Friday that technical education constitutes a key pillar for the country’s future, during a visit to the ‘Makarios III’ Technical and Vocational Education and Training School in Nicosia, where he attended a breakfast prepared by students of the school, including students from the special education unit.

The President was accompanied by Minister of Education, Sport and Youth, Athina Michaelidou and Commissioner of the Presidency, Marios Hartsiotis, while particular emphasis during the visit was placed on both the upgrading of technical education and the strengthening of special education and children’s professional rehabilitation.

In statements to reporters upon his arrival at the school, President Christodoulides said the visit aimed, among other things, to highlight the importance the Government attaches to technical education.

‘My visit to the technical school, among many other things, aims to demonstrate the importance we as a Government attach to technical education. We want more of our children to pursue technical education and we believe in the future of technical education,’ he said.

The President noted that the Government proceeded, for the first time, with the establishment of technical gymnasiums, adding that their number is increasing from two to four, with plans for further expansion.

At the same time, he said efforts are underway to modernise academic programmes and establish new technical schools across Cyprus, starting with Nicosia and Larnaca.

‘Our students in technical schools are the future of our country,’ he said, adding that a ‘mistaken mentality’ that existed for years in Cypriot society regarding technical education has now changed.

President Christodoulides also underlined that there has been an upward trend in the number of students choosing technical education in recent years, which, he said, confirms the correctness of the policy being followed.

He also made special reference to special education, on the occasion of the participation of students from the school’s special unit in the preparation and serving of the breakfast.

‘It is our obligation as a Government to offer all our children the same opportunities, the same programmes at school and afterwards, whether they wish to work or study, to have the same opportunities,’ he said.

The President further revealed that discussions are underway for the formulation of a comprehensive policy on special education, which, as he said, ‘has been missing from our state’ and is expected to be announced before September.

As he explained, the process involves the Ministry of Education, the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Commerce, with the aim of creating a comprehensive support framework for children in special education.

He also referred to the Government’s decision to extend the age limit for attendance from 21 to 22 years old, while noting that this is not a permanent solution and that additional measures are being examined.

‘Children in special education must also, if they wish to study after completing school, have the opportunity to do so. If they wish to work, the state must create the appropriate framework to facilitate whichever choice they make,’ he noted.

In remarks before the breakfast with the students, the President reiterated that ‘in education, the priority is the student,’ stressing that all Government decisions in the fields of education and health are treated as investments in the country’s future.

‘Health and education are not approached by us as decisions within the framework of an accounting exercise or an economic policy. They are sectors where every decision we make is approached as an investment in the future of our country,’ he said.

For his part, the school’s director welcomed the President of the Republic, the Minister of Education and the Commissioner of the Presidency, describing the visit as a particularly important moment for the educational community, especially for the students of the special unit who participated in preparing the breakfast.

As he said, their presence constitutes ‘practical confirmation of the state’s ongoing interest and substantial support’ for the work carried out at the school, while reinforcing the values of acceptance, equality and inclusion.

During the visit, students from the special unit presented the President, the Education Minister and the Commissioner of the Presidency with handmade crafts they had created as part of their school activities.

President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, has said that he will raise the issue of provocations in the buffer zone, as well as other ‘negative developments’ that could affect efforts to resume Cyprus talks, during his meeting on Friday with Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhurman.

Speaking to the press upon his arrival at the ‘Makarios III’ Technical and Vocational Education and Training School in Nicosia to attend an event, the President said he was seeking a ‘substantive discussion’ with the Turkish Cypriot leader both on Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) and on the substance of the Cyprus issue.

He said there have been ‘some positive developments’ regarding the CBMs, adding that he had been in contact with the personal envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General, Maria Angela Holguin ,and that the UN Secretary-General’s efforts are being further intensified.

The President expressed hope that there would soon be a ‘positive outcome’, which, as he noted, for the Greek Cypriot side could only mean the convening of a conference in a broader format at which the resumption of negotiations would be announced.

He also said that the UN Secretary-General immediately initiated relevant contacts following their meeting in Brussels in March and that consultations are continuing with all parties involved.

Asked whether provocations in the buffer zone would be discussed at the meeting he is holding with the Turkish Cypriot leader later today, President Christodoulides said, ‘of course I will raise the issue. It is not only the provocations in the buffer zone. There are also some other provocations, some other negative developments which may be created by some who wish to create a negative climate that inevitably affects both the substance of the Cyprus issue and the effort being made to resume negotiations.’

Regarding the forthcoming parliamentary elections in the Republic, President Christodoulides said that the state mechanism is ‘fully prepared to cope with these parliamentary elections, which have the highest number of candidates to date, so that everything runs smoothly on election day without any problems whatsoever.’

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 UN 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 a broader format, expected to take place before the end of 2025, has yet to be announced. María Angela Holguín, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked with engaging the parties.

Violations in the area of Pyla and other locations across the UN controlled buffer zone are frequent, with the latest incident, in April 2026, involving the deployment of military vehicles and personnel from the Turkish-occupied areas, aimed at blocking veterinary checks. This prompted the UN to stress that unauthorised entry, presence or activity within the buffer zone constitutes a violation of the UN Mission’s mandate.

Further violations occurred at times in the area of Agios Dometios, in Nicosia, and other sites in and around the buffer zone, involving Turkish occupation troops. Guterres reiterated the importance of the parties refraining from taking unilateral actions that could raise tensions and compromise a return to talks.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (A)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 08/05/2026 UNTIL 0600 09/05/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1017hPa (hectopascal)

Weak high pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine.

Visibility: Good

Sea surface temperature: 20°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Morning Northeast to Southeast 3, gradually Southeast to Southwest Smooth to Slight

Afternoon West to Northwest 3 to 4, at times locally 4 Smooth to Slight

Night Northwest to Northeast 3, at times locally 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

South Coast

Morning Northwest to Northeast 3, gradually Northeast to Southeast Smooth to Slight

Afternoon Southwest to West 3 to 4, at times locally 4 Smooth to Slight

Night Northwest to Northeast 3, locally Variable Smooth to Slight

East Coast

Morning Northwest to Northeast 3, gradually Northeast to East Smooth to Slight

Afternoon Southeast to Southwest 3 Smooth to Slight

Night West to Northwest 3 Smooth to Slight

North Coast

Morning Southeast to Southwest 3, gradually Northwest to Northeast Smooth to Slight

Afternoon Northwest to North 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

Night Southeast to Southwest 3, locally Variable Smooth to Slight