Category: Cyprus News Agency

The future of EU-UK relations, with a focus on closer cooperation in defence, security, energy and migration, was discussed at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday, ahead of the second EU-UK summit on November 20 in Brussels.

According to a Parliament briefing, the summit will review progress since the first meeting in London in 2025 and discuss further cooperation on trade, agricultural and food standards, climate policy, people-to-people contacts and law enforcement.

European Council President Antonio Costa and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will host UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, seeking to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two sides.

During the debate, Irish MEP Nina Carberry of the European People’s Party (EPP) highlighted the benefits of closer agri-food trade and energy cooperation, while fellow Irish MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin of the Socialists and Democrats (S and D) stressed youth opportunities and the importance of safeguarding the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland.

Renew Europe’s Sandro Gozi described Brexit as a “disaster”, calling for fewer trade barriers and closer ties, while Greens co-chair Terry Reintke highlighted its economic and political consequences.

Jadwiga Wisniewska of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) prioritised defence, agricultural safeguards and youth mobility, while Kathleen Funchion of The Left called for protecting the rights of Irish citizens in Northern Ireland.

Matthieu Valet of Patriots for Europe urged tighter migration controls, particularly across the English Channel, while Alexander Jungbluth of Europe of Sovereign Nations defended Brexit as a democratic choice and opposed a return to EU membership.

Geadi raises issue of British Bases in Cyprus

Cypriot MEP Geadis Geadi said stronger EU-UK relations required respect for member states’ sovereignty, human rights and the EU acquis.

He expressed concern over uncontrolled migration, demographic changes and restrictions on freedom of expression, including on social media.

Referring to Cyprus, Geadi described the British Sovereign Base Areas as a “relic of colonialism”, arguing that they prevented the Republic of Cyprus from exercising sovereignty over European territory.

He cited the International Court of Justice’s February 2019 advisory opinion, UN General Assembly resolutions and a July 2018 UK Supreme Court ruling.

“The Commission must be clear,” he said, arguing that any future UK return to the EU should require full respect for sovereignty and the withdrawal of British military bases from European territory.

Cypriot MEP Michalis Hadjipantela stressed the need to balance fiscal discipline with adequate funding for EU institutions, prioritising security, efficiency and responsible use of artificial intelligence, during a European Parliament debate on the EU’s 2027 budget in Strasbourg on Tuesday.

Parliament is expected to vote on its position on the 2027 budget on Wednesday, October 21. Hadjipantela, from the European People’s Party (EPP), is the rapporteur for the budget’s other sections, while Latvian MEP Nils Ušakovs of the Socialists and Democrats (S and D) is responsible for the European Commission section.

Hadjipantela said the budget was being prepared under growing financial pressure, as 2027 marks the final year of the current Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

Focusing on Heading 7, which covers EU administrative expenditure, he stressed the need to ensure that European institutions have sufficient resources to fulfil their responsibilities effectively and independently.

“Fiscal discipline is non-negotiable,” he said, adding that European taxpayers expect responsible spending, efficiency and the elimination of unnecessary costs.

However, he warned against cuts that could undermine institutional operations or lead to higher costs in the future, saying the proposed approach was based on justified operational needs rather than reversing every cut proposed by the European Commission.

Hadjipantela also highlighted the potential of new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, to modernise EU administration and improve efficiency. He stressed that AI must be used responsibly and in line with EU guidelines, while security and institutional resilience should remain key priorities.

Public health priorities

In a separate intervention as rapporteur for the Committee on Public Health (SANT) opinion on the 2027 budget, Hadjipantela called for public health to be treated as a strategic EU priority.

He proposed establishing a European agency for rare diseases to coordinate research, early diagnosis and treatment, ensuring equal access to care.

He also called for continuous support for people on the autism spectrum, from childhood through adulthood, and adequate funding for the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to strengthen medical evacuations and care for war victims.

Call for support ahead of budget vote

In his closing remarks, Hadjipantela said the proposed amendments and accompanying resolution reflected a balanced approach, combining fiscal responsibility with the resources needed for EU institutions to function effectively.

He urged MEPs to support the amendments concerning the budget’s other sections and the resolution, warning that additional changes could weaken the compromise reached ahead of negotiations with the Council.

Fellow rapporteur Nils Ušakovs thanked Hadjipantela and the shadow rapporteurs for their cooperation, saying they had managed to reach a common position despite differences.

He called for unity ahead of the vote to secure a strong negotiating mandate and ensure that the final budget under the current MFF provides a positive basis for the next financial framework.

Cypriot MEP Geadis Geadi (ELAM) has called for the postponement or relocation of an EU-Turkey parliamentary meeting scheduled for October 26-27 in Ankara unless Turkish authorities guarantee equal treatment for Cypriot MEPs, he told Cypriot journalists in Strasbourg on Tuesday.

Geadi, a full member of the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with Turkey, said he had written to EP President Roberta Metsola and the delegation’s chair, Manolis Kefalogiannis, requesting their intervention ahead of the 82nd meeting of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee.

According to Geadi, Parliament’s services informed him that Cypriot MEPs would face different entry requirements from their colleagues. While other MEPs could travel on diplomatic passports, Cypriot MEPs would be issued a separate entry document because Turkey does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus.

“I will not accept different treatment because I come from a state they do not recognise,” he said, stressing that he was willing to attend only on equal terms.

Geadi said the issue had been brought to Metsola’s attention and that he had discussed it with Kefalogiannis. It is expected to be examined at a special meeting on Wednesday.

He rejected the argument that similar arrangements had been used in the past, saying this did not justify their continuation.

Geadi called for the meeting to be postponed until equal treatment was guaranteed or relocated to Brussels or Strasbourg.

He also cited European Commission findings on discriminatory Turkish visa practices towards Cypriot citizens, calling for the Commission’s intervention.

“All MEPs must participate on equal terms,” he said, arguing that such discrimination undermines the European Parliament’s institutional standing.

The second Carbon Tierra Biennale, organised by the kilowArt platform in collaboration with the Contemporary Fine Arts Lab (CUT Contemporary Fine Arts Lab) of the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT), will take place from 23 October to 15 November 2026 at various venues in Ptolemaida, Greece.

This year’s edition, entitled ‘Breath in the Ashes’, is organised in collaboration with the kilowArt platform and brings together 35 international artists presenting video art, documentaries, installations and performances.

The Biennale focuses on the environmental and social consequences of extractive activities and the challenges faced by local communities during the transition to a post-lignite era.

Through contemporary artistic practices, the exhibition explores issues related to the environment, public health, labour, collective memory and the future of regions affected by industrial activity.

Ptolemaida, one of Greece’s most important energy centres for decades, is at the heart of the event, with artworks connecting the region’s history to experiences of extraction and industrial transformation in other parts of the world.

The main programme will take place from 23 to 25 October, featuring film screenings, artistic presentations and live performances. A conference on 25 October will bring together artists, researchers and members of the public to discuss the environmental and social legacy of extraction and the prospects for Ptolemaida in the post-lignite era.

Among the participating artists is Cypriot visual artist and CUT Professor Klitsa Antoniou, whose work ‘States of Exception: Coordinates of Possibility’ explores possibilities for reimagining an abandoned airport near Ptolemaida.

The Biennale is curated, artistically directed and produced by George Lazoglou, Artistic Director of the kilowArt platform.

The CUT Contemporary Fine Arts Lab was established in 2019 by Professor Klitsa Antoniou at the Department of Fine Arts. It supports interdisciplinary research and contemporary artistic practice.

The event is held with the financial support and under the auspices of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture.

Further information and programme updates are available at kilowartplatform.gr and on Instagram at @carbontierrabiennale.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the Libyan Parliament’s decision to approve the illegal 2019 Turkish-Libyan “Memorandum of Understanding” in a statement issued on Tuesday afternoon.

According to the Ministry’s statement, this ‘Memorandum’ violates the sovereign rights of third States and is contrary to the recognised principles of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and customary international law concerning the rights of islands to maritime zones, including an Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf.

‘Accordingly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to consider the said ‘memorandum’ illegal, null and void, and without legal effect whatsoever vis-à-vis third States’, it is further noted.

Cyprus is awaiting clarifications from Greece’s Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO/ADMIE) regarding the acquisition of a 66% stake in the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) company by French investment firm Meridiam, while the project’s expected completion has been postponed by one year to January 1, 2031, the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority (CERA) said on Tuesday.

CERA Chairman Polys Lemonaris told the House Energy Committee that the authority sent IPTO a letter with questions on August 26, 2026, but has yet to receive a response. He said the licences for ownership and management of the Crete-Cyprus electricity interconnector remain in IPTO’s name, with IPTO also continuing as the project’s implementing body.

Meridiam has acquired 66% of the shares in the inactive GSI company, Lemonaris said, adding that the acquisition price was not known.

CERA is examining the contractual terms and the implications of the ownership structure. Lemonaris noted that Cyprus would have less control if the cable were managed by a company with foreign interests, while provisions exist in the regulatory process for restrictions where national security concerns are identified.

The regulator has also begun examining the application for the Cyprus-Israel section of the wider electricity interconnection project. Lemonaris said the application’s completeness is being assessed, with a joint evaluation to follow in cooperation with Israel’s regulatory authority.

280 kilometres of cable installed

Regarding construction progress on the Crete-Cyprus section, approximately 280 kilometres of submarine cable have been laid out of a total route of around 900 kilometres. A further 232 kilometres of cable have been manufactured but have not yet been laid.

Around 40% of the required marine surveys remain outstanding and are expected to take approximately six months to complete, according to Lemonaris. The cost of these surveys is included in CERA’s provisional approval of pound 571 million in capital expenditure for the 2024-2025 regulatory period.

The final cost of the project remains uncertain. However, Lemonaris said experience from electricity interconnection projects in other countries suggests that the currently estimated cost of pound 1.9 billion may be insufficient.

Completion of the marine surveys is considered particularly important because their findings could require changes to the cable route, potentially affecting the overall cost.

Funding and cost-sharing arrangements

Based on the current estimated cost of pound 1.9 billion and after deducting the pound 657 million European Union grant, Greece’s 37% share amounts to pound 440 million, while Cyprus’s share, based on a 63% allocation, amounts to pound 749 million.

The EU grant is the largest ever awarded by the bloc for an electricity interconnection project, Lemonaris said. However, any increase in EU funding in the event of cost overruns cannot be taken for granted and would require a formal request, with efforts to secure additional support expected to be pursued at ministerial level.

The participating parties share operating expenses equally. These are estimated at pound 2 million annually until the project is completed and pound 15.5 million per year once it becomes operational.

Under the agreed incentives for the Crete-Cyprus section, annual payments of pound 25 million were provided for the period 2025-2029, subject to a maximum total of pound 125 million.

For 2025, IPTO submitted a request for pound 302 million in expenses. CERA approved pound 82 million, which Lemonaris said were supported by the documentation provided. The authority will consider payment of the remaining amount if the expenses are adequately substantiated.

The regulatory framework also provides for the assessment of damages and compensation if the project is terminated due to the implementing body’s fault. If termination results from geopolitical risk, reasonable expenses are to be shared under the applicable arrangements.

Lemonaris said any request to revise the agreed cost-sharing ratio would require substantial justification that the increase was not attributable to IPTO. He clarified that Cyprus would not face additional costs simply because difficult seabed conditions were encountered.

The project, intended to connect the electricity systems of Greece, Cyprus and Israel, is expected to strengthen regional energy links.

Cyprus is recording growth rates that place the country among the top performers in Europe, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said in a written statement, while stressing that the government’s goal ‘is to turn this momentum into even greater progress and prosperity for society as a whole.’

‘As a government, we are harnessing the momentum of the economy to increase disposable income, provide more substantial support to families, strengthen the welfare state and create better prospects for the younger generation,’ he stressed.

Commenting on the revised National Accounts data released today, Letymbiotis said Cyprus is among the leading performers in European economic growth, adding that for the third consecutive year it ranks among the EU’s two fastest-growing economies, with growth of 6.0% in 2023 (up from 3.6%), 6.6% in 2024 (up from 3.9%) and 4.8% in 2025 (up from 3.8%).

Compared with the rest of Europe in 2025, the Cypriot economy recorded growth of 4.8%, against just 1.4% in the European Union and 1.2% in the eurozone, he said.

‘In other words, it is growing at more than three times the EU average, ranking second among the 27 member states,’ he added.

He also noted that Cyprus ranked first in the European Union in 2024 and second in 2023, meaning that for three consecutive years it has been ‘at the forefront of European economic performance, despite successive international economic and geopolitical challenges.’

‘This development highlights the resilience, dynamism and significant prospects of our economy. These results reflect the broadening of our productive base, the significant investments being made in the country, the attraction of new business activities and the confidence of international investors,’ he stressed.

At the same time, he said, they ‘strengthen our fiscal position, improve public debt indicators and expand the state’s capacity to provide meaningful support to society.’

The Government Spokesperson also said that ‘the strength of the economy is reflected in the 15% increase in median earnings, demonstrating the tangible social benefits of strong economic growth.’

He also said that ‘economic progress creates more and better employment opportunities, promotes the creation of better-paid jobs, boosts incomes and lays the foundations for a higher standard of living,’ adding that ‘this is the true value of growth.’

‘It should create more wealth, better wages, greater economic security and more opportunities for citizens,’ he added.

Finally, Letymbiotis said the government would ‘continue to build on what we have achieved with a clear plan, fiscal responsibility and determination, setting even higher goals as we work toward a Cyprus that moves forward.’

The Minister for Justice and Public Order, Costas Fytiris, visited the 16th Milipol Qatar 2026 International Internal Security Exhibition in Doha today, as part of his official visit to Qatar. The Minister was accompanied by the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Qatar, Elpidoforos Oikonomou.

According to a Ministry statement, the exhibition is taking place from 20 to 22 October, organised by the Qatari Ministry of the Interior, and brings together government authorities, experts and companies active in the fields of security and civil protection.

As stated, the exhibition showcases state-of-the-art technologies and equipment for combating organised crime and cybercrime, protecting critical infrastructure and ensuring the security of airports, ports and borders, whilst also covering communication and operational coordination systems, applications for correctional facilities, as well as fire-fighting and rescue equipment.

It is added that the visit forms part of efforts to upgrade the operational capabilities of the Police, the Fire Service and the Prisons Department, with the aim that keeping abreast of technological developments will help to evaluate solutions that meet the actual needs of the Services and support the work of staff in crime prevention, investigation and the management of emergencies.

The Government’s efforts, under the current conditions of the global energy crisis, are focused on containing fuel prices rather than achieving substantial reductions, Finance Minister Makis Keravnos said on Tuesday, announcing that he would once again raise at European level the need for greater flexibility in the application of fiscal rules to address the impact of the crisis.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of an event marking European Statistics Day, Keravnos also said that the Government was monitoring the implementation of the support measures already announced, noting that, according to an initial assessment by the Consumer Protection Service, prices of certain basic products had fallen by 5%.

Asked whether rising oil prices made additional support for citizens necessary, given that price increases appeared to be offsetting the existing measures, the Finance Minister said that the international situation meant that substantial price reductions could not realistically be expected.

“If anyone expects that, while we are at the centre of four wars, particularly in our region, which have created an enormous global energy crisis, then you understand that the effort must be to contain prices rather than expect sharp reductions,” he said.

He noted that the Government had already reduced tax rates to the lowest level permitted under the European framework, while also seeking a derogation that would allow further reductions.

As he explained, securing such a derogation was not an easy process, referring also to the relevant discussions held at the level of heads of state.

Keravnos said he intended to raise the issue again at the next meeting of the European Union Finance Ministers, which he is due to attend in approximately two weeks.

“There must be flexibility in the application of European economic governance, because we cannot design a rigid, one-size-fits-all policy that fails to take into account prevailing circumstances, particularly those we are experiencing today,” he stressed.

He added that the issue would be raised jointly with other Finance Ministers, as had been the case at a previous meeting.

Support measures being implemented

Referring to the possibility of a new package of measures to tackle the high cost of living, the Finance Minister pointed out that the measures already announced were only just beginning to be implemented.

He said that some were coming into effect today, while others first required parliamentary approval, expressing the expectation that they would be passed within the next few days.

He added that, once the remaining measures had also been implemented, a further assessment would follow, while their impact would be monitored continuously.

“I think we are moving in the right direction, always within our capabilities and within the framework of European economic governance,” he said.

He stressed that the Government was closely monitoring developments and would continue, as he put it, to support citizens and businesses according to emerging needs.

No further comment on GSI

Asked about developments concerning the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) electricity interconnection project, the Finance Minister declined to make any further comment.

“I have no additional comment,” he said, noting that the issue had been extensively addressed in recent days, including during yesterday’s discussion in Parliament, by the competent Energy Minister.

Cypriot MEP Costas Mavrides (DIKO, S and D) is organising a conference at the European Parliament on December 2 to examine the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) jurisdiction over the transfer of settlers into the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus and the appropriation of Greek Cypriot properties.

Speaking to Cypriot journalists in Strasbourg on Tuesday, Mavrides said international legal experts would discuss alleged crimes in the occupied areas and the scope for prosecution before the ICC.

He said he had previously submitted a detailed document to the Court calling for criminal proceedings against those responsible for settlement activities and the organised appropriation of Greek Cypriot properties.

Mavrides argued that evidence included electoral records in the occupied areas, infrastructure projects funded by Turkey and the widespread exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties.

EU budget negotiations

Referring to the EU’s 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), Mavrides highlighted differences between Parliament and member states over the size of the next long-term budget.

He said Parliament was seeking approximately 10% more funding than proposed by the European Commission, while the Irish Presidency’s counterproposal envisaged an increase of around 2%.

“European solutions require appropriate financial tools,” he said, calling for more resources for defence, competitiveness and established EU programmes.

For Cyprus, he noted, the outcome would affect funding for regional development, agriculture, defence, infrastructure, housing and the green transition, including projects of strategic energy importance.

Age restrictions on social media

Mavrides also backed a common EU minimum age for social media access and mandatory changes to online platforms’ algorithms to better protect children.

Referring to the proposed EU KIDS Act, he warned of risks linked to addiction, mental and emotional health and online manipulation, arguing that preventive action was essential.

“It is our responsibility to protect our children because they are minors and because the risks are real,” he said.

He opposed allowing parents or guardians to adjust age restrictions individually, arguing that such flexibility could leave them vulnerable to pressure.