Category: Cyprus News Agency

The pilot Technical High School programme, launched in Limassol and Nicosia in 2025, received a particularly positive response from students and has exceeded expectations, President Nikos Christodoulides said, announcing its expansion to Paphos and the government-controlled Famagusta district.

In a recorded message on the expansion of the programme on Saturday evening, the President said students had learned first-hand how new technologies are linked to creativity and how education connects with the needs of the modern era.

‘They learned how the Technical High School helps them discover their skills, aptitudes and interests, gain confidence, chart their own course and pursue their dreams,’ he said.

‘For all these reasons, we decided to expand the Technical High School to Paphos and the government-controlled Famagusta district as of the new school year,’ he added.

President Christodoulides said he was pleased with the positive results of the government’s investment in technical education and the strong response from students.

He noted that enrolments at technical schools exceeded 5,000 during the last school year, while interest continues to grow year by year.

‘This is undoubtedly tangible proof that technical education is rightly gaining the trust of society and taking the place it deserves,’ he said.

‘Our objective is clear: every child, every student, should have meaningful choices, equal opportunities and all the necessary tools to develop their skills and make the most of their talent,’ President Christodoulides added.

‘Cyprus is changing, ensuring that every child can find their own path and has the opportunity to fulfil their potential,’ he concluded.

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides has said that he hopes the missing persons issue and excavations to find their remains in so called military areas of the Turkish army will be discussed in a meeting he will have with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman in late July.

He also announced that the Defence Ministries of Greece and Cyprus are set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the issue of missing persons.

President Christodoulides was addressing an event in Kornos, Larnaca district commemorating the missing persons of Cyprus, Cypriots and Greeks, from 1974 on Sunday evening.

Nine Maronite, Armenian, Latin monuments in Turkish-occupied areas have been preserved so far, Technical Committee co-chair tells CNAphase of which started on July 20, he said that daybreak will be difficult for everyone. ‘It is a day when the sound of sirens will feel like a stabbing, more so for you,’ he noted, adding that ‘I am well aware that whatever the state, any government may do, it will not be able to make up for your loss, no one will be able to feel the pain you are feeling.’

The President asked forgiveness for the state’s oversights since 1974 and he also congratulated the two committees of relatives of the missing in Cyprus and Greece for the work they do daily.

Addressing the head of the Greek Committee Maria Kalbourtzi, he recalled she had asked him to work on a memorandum between the two Ministries of Defence on missing persons some years back which did not seem to be moving forward.

‘I would like to inform you that after many efforts the Memorandum is finally drafted and the two Defence Ministers will immediately proceed to sign it so that we can move forward with evidence on this particular matter,’ he said.

Referring to the data about missing persons, President Christodoulides said that until now from the 1619 Greek Cypriot missing persons only 764 have been identified, that is to say only 51% while the fate of the other 746 is still to be found.

‘Out of the total 81 Greek missing persons, who were in Cyprus to defend the Republic of Cyprus, only 19 have been identified by the Committee on Missing persons.’ In their large majority, he added, Greek missing persons were men serving in the Hellenic Force in Cyprus (ELDYK).

This period, President Christodoulides said, because our actions on all levels are intensive, our goal is to intensify excavations. Right now, he noted, ‘there are ongoing excavations in Agia, Ashia, Gerolakkos, Lapithos, Exo Metohi, Livadia,’ adding that another 120 areas are included in a list for excavations , but some of them are to be found in so called military zones according to the Turkish occupation army.

He assured that in all his meetings with the Turkish Cypriot leader, he has put forward requests if they truly want Confidence Building Measures, that the simplest of all things would be to allow excavations in all the areas for which there is information.

‘I hope that it is a matter which will be discussed in the joint meeting with the UN Secretary General and there will be a positive response,’ he added.

The President said that ‘with every opportunity -and if there isn’t an opportunity then we create one – we raise the matter of the missing persons.’ He added that ‘we have right now another opportunity to demand even more, and I am referring to the EU and the Commission President’s recent decision to appoint the Commissions Executive Vice President as its representative for the Cyprus issue.’

He urged the organisations of relatives of missing persons to seek to have a meeting with Raffaele Fitto ‘so that the EU, specifically the EU, a union of principles and values, can play a more important role.’

The President referred to the missing of Ashia village and said that he cannot bear to hear excuses from the Turkish Cypriot side about the high cost of excavations in an area in Mia Milia where a water treatment plant has been built with EU funds, adding that ‘these are unacceptable answers’ and pointing out that excavations should go ahead.

President Christodoulides also assured all those present that ascertaining the fate of all missing persons, has and will continue to be the government’s top priority.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Since then, the fate of hundreds of people remains unknown.

A Committee on Missing Persons has been established, upon agreement between the leaders of the two communities, with the scope of exhuming, identifying and returning to their relatives the remains of 492 Turkish Cypriots and 1,510 Greek Cypriots, who went missing during the inter-communal fighting of 1963-1964 and in 1974.

According to statistical data published on the CMP website by June 30, 2026 out of 2002 missing persons 1,719 were exhumed and 1,075 were identified. Out of 1,510 Greek Cypriot missing persons 764 were identified and 746 are still missing. Out of 492 Turkish Cypriot missing persons 311 were identified and 181 are still missing.

The Meteorology Department has issued a yellow warning for extreme maximum temperature for Monday.

It says that the warning is valid between 1330 and 1600.

Inland maximum temperature is expected to rise to around 40 degrees celsius.

Fire prevention will be the focus of a meeting convened on Tuesday by Chief Fire Officer Nikos Logginos as the National Fire Coordinator.

In statements to CNA on Saturday, Spokesman of the Cyprus Fire Service Andreas Kettis, said that the meeting will take place at the Coordination Center of the Fire Service Headquarters, with the participation of all competent services.

Its purpose, he added, “is to decide on the emergency measures that we must take, based on meteorological data and the forecast based on which the coming days are considered difficult, due to the high temperatures and heat wave.”

The Fire Service, Kettis told CNA, is prepared to work hard to prevent a fire and to be ready for any event. He cautioned however that “every fire has a different dynamic and there are fires which overcome the response system and become very difficult to manage.”

‘The damage that a large fire can cause is very little, in terms of cost, when you do prevention,’ he pointed out.

Kettis said that in 2026 the Fire Service responded to 1,350 fires, of which more than 10% ‘could develop into very bad ones’.

He noted that a large percentage of fires are caused due to negligence and called on the public ‘not to underestimate any activity they do,’ such as, among others, throwing away cigarettes, intentional burning (such as clearing grass), outdoor work, hot tools and throwing away garbage, which is a source of ignition. He warned that some people even set fire to the garbage they throw away.

Unfortunately, he pointed out, current environmental conditions make it easy for a fire to start and spread.

Kettis said that some fires are not accidental but malicious acts.

He urged the public to provide information, monitor, observe and inform the competent authorities of suspicious movements.

Kettris warned that managing a fire is not an easy task at all and that the humidity of the flammable material and the atmosphere play a role, as well as quantity and type of flammable material, the soil and the winds.

The Spokesman of the Fire Service recalled that since June 2 this year, the Public Warning System – CY-Alert has also been put into operation.

The Civil Defence, he said, has created communication groups with heads of communities and members of the Community Councils to send group messages from the Coordination Center in case of emergency.

It has also provided 39 new wireless communication devices to high-risk communities for the purposes of uninterrupted communication.

The Department of Meteorology has issued a yellow warning for extreme heat, with temperatures in inland areas expected to reach around 40 degrees Celsius.

The warning is valid on Saturday, July 18, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (A)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 18/07/2026 UNTIL 0600 19/07/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1003hPa (hectopascal)

Seasonal low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine with risk of increased low cloud and local mist overnight and during early morning.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in mist

Sea surface temperature: 27°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Morning Southwest to Northwest 3, gradually West to Northwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

Afternoon West to Northwest 3 to 4, at times locally 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight, at times locally Slight

Night West to Northwest 3, soon Northwest to Northeast Smooth to Slight

South Coast

Morning Southeast to Southwest 3, gradually Southwest to West 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

Afternoon Southwest to West 4 to 5, at times locally 5 Slight

Night Southwest to Northwest 3 Smooth to Slight

East Coast

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

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

Night West to Northwest 3 Smooth to Slight

North Coast

Morning Southwest to Northwest 3, gradually 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

Afternoon Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, locally 4 Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

Night Southeast to Southwest 3 Smooth to Slight

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (A)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 18/07/2026 UNTIL 0600 19/07/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1003hPa (hectopascal)

Seasonal low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine with risk of increased low cloud and local mist overnight and during early morning.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in mist

Sea surface temperature: 27°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Morning Southwest to Northwest 3, gradually West to Northwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

Afternoon West to Northwest 3 to 4, at times locally 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight, at times locally Slight

Night West to Northwest 3, soon Northwest to Northeast Smooth to Slight

South Coast

Morning Southeast to Southwest 3, gradually Southwest to West 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

Afternoon Southwest to West 4 to 5, at times locally 5 Slight

Night Southwest to Northwest 3 Smooth to Slight

East Coast

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

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

Night West to Northwest 3 Smooth to Slight

North Coast

Morning Southwest to Northwest 3, gradually 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

Afternoon Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, locally 4 Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

Night Southeast to Southwest 3 Smooth to Slight

The Department of Meteorology has issued a new yellow warning for Sunday for extreme maximum temperature over inland areas which will continue to reach around 41 degrees Celsius.

The warning is valid from 1300 to 1600.

Meanwhile, the Department of Forests warned that on Sunday, July 19, 2026, the risk of forest fires breaking out and spreading will be on “Red Alert”.

It is stressed that causing a fire, according to the Forest Law and the Law on the Prevention and Extinguishing of Fires in the Countryside, constitutes an offense that carries severe penalties.

The public is strongly urged to be particularly careful during their outings, completely avoiding actions and activities that may cause a fire.

In the event that anyone notices smoke or fire, they are asked to immediately call 1407 (Forest Department) or 112 (Fire Department).

Cyprus’ tourism sector has returned to a stable trajectory, Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis said on Friday, following the publication of June tourist arrivals data by the Statistical Service of Cyprus.

In a written statement, Koumis said the June figures confirm that “the country’s tourism sector has returned to a stable path,” describing the month’s overall performance as satisfactory under the circumstances.

Tourist arrivals in June were down 1.7% compared with the same month last year. According to Koumis, the limited decline demonstrates that the weaker performances recorded in March and April, which were affected by the conflict in the Middle East, “now belong to the past.”

He also said the results confirm that the measures implemented by the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, together with the wider tourism industry, to manage the extraordinary situation that emerged from March 1 onwards have produced “clearly improved results.”

Commenting on the first half of 2026, Koumis said the overall performance, which showed a 10.1% decline compared with the first six months of 2025 but a 0.2% increase compared with the corresponding period of 2024, should also be considered satisfactory.

“If we take into account the very significant losses recorded in March and April, which have a major impact on any analysis, the first-half performance is satisfactory,” he said, adding that the latest figures also create “a window of hope” for further narrowing the overall decline by the end of the year.

Koumis stressed that the government and the Deputy Ministry are not focusing solely on headline figures.

“A thorough analysis shows that a number of source markets have been affected and continue to require targeted support to ensure their successful and uninterrupted development in the coming years,” he said.

The Deputy Minister added that work is continuing on planning for the coming years, with particular emphasis on 2027, in cooperation with the country’s tourism industry.

“Our ultimate objective remains the continuation of our collective effort to transform Cyprus into a sustainable, digitally smart and accessible destination for all,” he concluded.

British political parties reaffirmed their support for a Cyprus settlement based on United Nations Security Council resolutions during an event held on Tuesday at the UK Parliament. Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos was the keynote speaker.

The annual gathering, jointly organised by the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK and the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Cyprus to mark the anniversary of the 1974 Turkish invasion, brought together dozens of MPs from across the political spectrum. Speakers also highlighted the growing strategic partnership between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Cyprus. Among those attending were MPs Catherine West, Dan Tomlinson, Martin Vickers, Caroline Nokes and Baroness Winterton.

Foreign Minister Kombos, described Cyprus as a reliable UK partner and a bridge between Europe and the Middle East. He said bilateral relations were at their strongest in recent years, pointing to the close cooperation between London and Nicosia during the Middle East crisis. He highlighted Cyprus’ role in delivering humanitarian assistance to Gaza and facilitating the evacuation of thousands of foreign nationals through the island.

Kombos also said Cyprus’ Presidency of the Council of the European Union had contributed to strengthening UK-EU relations, referring in particular to the Gibraltar agreement and the participation of a British Minister in an informal meeting of the EU Council. On the Cyprus issue, he reiterated that the Republic of Cyprus was ready to resume substantive negotiations immediately within the framework of UN Security Council resolutions, stressing the growing importance of the European dimension of the issue. He added that further progress would largely depend on Turkey’s approach towards the European Union, the international community and international law.

UK Minister for Europe Stephen Doughty described UK-Cyprus relations as stronger than ever, praised the contribution of the Cypriot community to British society and thanked the Republic of Cyprus for its role in humanitarian operations linked to Gaza and in assisting the evacuation of civilians from conflict zones.

He also congratulated Cyprus on its successful Presidency of the Council of the EU, saying it had helped strengthen ties between London and Brussels. On Cyprus, Doughty reaffirmed that the United Kingdom, as a Guarantor Power, remained firmly committed to achieving a just and lasting settlement based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality and would continue to actively support the UN-led process.

Representing the opposition, Conservative Shadow Europe Minister Wendy Morton referred to the longstanding ties between the two countries in defence, trade, education and regional security, while praising the contribution of the British Cypriot community to the United Kingdom.

Morton said the consequences of the 1974 Turkish invasion continued to affect thousands of families and reiterated that the United Kingdom does not recognise the self-declared “trnc”, as she referred to the illegal regime set up by Turkey in the northern part of Cyprus. She also expressed hope that confidence-building measures would create the conditions for meaningful progress in the negotiations.

Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney delivered a similar message, reaffirming her party’s longstanding support for Cyprus and the British Cypriot community. She said that, 52 years after the Turkish invasion, the Liberal Democrats continued to support a settlement based on UN resolutions.

A particularly emotional address was delivered by Sir Roger Gale, Honorary President of the APPG for Cyprus, who described the continued occupation of Cypriot territory for 52 years as unacceptable. He argued that negotiations should resume from where they had previously stopped rather than start from scratch. Gale said he continued to believe there was goodwill on both sides and reiterated that the objective should remain “one island, one state, one President”, adding that no solution falling short of that goal should be accepted.

National Federation of Cypriots in the UK President Christos Karaolis called on London to play a more active and meaningful role in efforts to restart negotiations, stressing Britain’s historic responsibilities as a Guarantor Power, a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a drafter of the relevant UN resolutions on Cyprus.

Karaolis expressed the Federation’s support for the UN Secretary-General’s initiatives aimed at resuming negotiations within the year, stressing that any settlement must be based on the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, providing for a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, a single sovereignty, a single international personality and a single citizenship, in full accordance with the EU acquis and international law.

He also referred to the significant strengthening of UK-Cyprus relations in recent years in the fields of defence, security and humanitarian cooperation, thanking Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for his visit to Cyprus and expressing confidence that the strategic partnership between the two countries would continue to deepen.

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. María Angela Holguín, Guterres’ Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties. Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto acts as the European Commission’s Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.