Category: Cyprus News Agency

We are pleased to invite you to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) Business Seminar on Procurement and Vendor Registration, jointly organized by the Vendor Registration and Outreach, Enabling and Outreach Service, Office of Supply Chain Management, United Nations Department of Operational Support, and the UNFICYP Procurement Section.

Seminar Details

Date: Thursday, 21 May 2026

Time: Cyprus: 3:30 – 5:00 PM (EEST) / New York (EDT): 8:30 – 10:00 AM

Format: MS Webinar (Virtual)

Registration

Participation is subject to prior registration.

Please register via the webinar site. (Click the link below)

UNFICYP Business Seminar on Procurement and Vendor Registration – 21 May 2026

Registration deadline: Tuesday, 19 May 2026.

This virtual seminar is intended for vendors in Cyprus and interested in United Nations procurement opportunities, including those seeking to do business with UNFICYP. The session will provide practical insights into United Nations procurement processes and guidance on registration through the United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM).

We look forward to welcoming you to the seminar.

Sincerely,

The European Defence Agency plays a key role as a central catalyst for defence cooperation, innovation, interoperability and standardisation, Cyprus Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas said on Tuesday.

Palmas participated on Tuesday in the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) in Defence Ministers configuration, held in Brussels, where discussions focused on continued EU support for Ukraine, developments in the Middle East and the strengthening of the Union’s defence readiness, a Defence Ministry press release said.

During the first session of the Council, Defence Ministers exchanged views on the European Union’s support to Ukraine, with particular emphasis on strengthening Ukraine’s defence industry and enhancing EU-Ukraine cooperation in the defence sector.

The discussion also covered the EU’s financial and economic assistance to Kyiv through instruments such as the Ukraine Support Loan, the European Peace Facility (EPF) and the SAFE programme.

Ukraine’s Defence Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, as well as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, participated in the session via videoconference. Ministers also discussed the situation in the Middle East and its implications for European defence and security, focusing on developments affecting maritime security and regional stability.

They were briefed on the outcomes of the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES operation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and exchanged views on initiatives aimed at safeguarding freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

The meeting concluded with a discussion on the EU’s defence preparedness and the implementation of the relevant agenda, including efforts to strengthen the European defence industry and the single defence market, as well as the revision of the directive on defence procurement.

At the opening of the session, the President of the Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD), Michael Johansson, referred to ongoing efforts to increase production capacity in the air defence sector.

Ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council, Ministers also attended a meeting of the Steering Board of the European Defence Agency at Defence Ministers level. During the meeting, ministers were invited to agree on the implementation of the Agency’s first reinforcement measures and on the desired level of ambition for its future role.

In his intervention, Palmas expressed the Republic of Cyprus’ firm support for the work of the Agency and stressed the need for its further strengthening in order to implement the priorities outlined by the European Council.

‘The European Defence Agency plays a key role as a central catalyst for defence cooperation, innovation, interoperability and standardisation,’ Palmas said, underlining the Agency’s contribution to enhancing the military capabilities of EU member states.

Cypriot President, Nikos Christodoulides, said on Monday that the country’s responsible fiscal policy allows it to absorb crises such as the foot-and-mouth disease and provide livestock farmers with significantly increased compensation.

Speaking at a celebratory event to mark the 85th anniversary of the Panagrotic Union of Cyprus, the President said compensation for affected livestock is being offered at levels approximately 150%-200% higher than European reference prices.

Christodoulides expressed confidence that, through continued cooperation with agricultural organizations, timely responses, and consistent implementation of biosecurity measures, Cyprus will overcome the current challenge and ensure stability for the livestock sector.

In his address, the President also highlighted ongoing challenges related to water resources. He said a comprehensive pound 168 million package has been developed for new infrastructure, reducing water losses, and boosting water production. Currently, Cyprus utilizes 90% of its reclaimed water – a rate significantly higher than the European Union average – covering 37% of irrigation needs.

‘The goal is to fully cover drinking water supply through desalination units and reserve dam water exclusively for the needs of our farmers,’ he said.

Christodoulides added that, for the first time, a special drought measure has been activated, allocating pound 10.2 million for 2025. In addition, pound 31.5 million have been provided through the agricultural production protection and insurance fund, bringing total support to pound 41.7 million for farmers affected by drought in 2024 and 2025.

He stressed the importance of long-term planning, including the preparation of a study on adapting agriculture to climate change. The aim, he said, is to strengthen resilience and ensure national food security through the development of a Ten-Year National Action Plan.

The President also noted that the Strategic Plan under the Common Agricultural Policy – the main funding tool for the primary sector – is being effectively utilized, with a total budget of pound 454 million.

Cyprus has reduced undeclared work from 15% in 2016 to 5% in 2026, Labour Minister Marinos Moushouttas said on Tuesday, who pointed out the role of European cooperation and strengthened labour inspections in tackling illegal employment practices.

Addressing the conference of the European Labour Authority in Larnaca marking the 10th anniversary of the European Platform Tackling Undeclared Work, the Minister said Cyprus had made ‘full and constructive use’ of the platform’s tools and cooperation mechanisms over the past decade.

He said the country organised two Mutual Assistance Programme actions between 2018 and 2024, which contributed to strengthening Cyprus’ labour inspection system through technical expertise, institutional capacity-building and more effective inspection procedures.

Moushouttas noted that Cyprus also participated actively in joint inspections with other EU member states, helping improve operational know-how and cross-border cooperation.

He described undeclared work as a ‘complex challenge’ that undermines workers’ rights, distorts fair competition and deprives economies of important revenues, while also eroding trust in institutions and weakening the principles of fairness and equality underpinning the European social model.

The Minister also said Cyprus views the fight against undeclared work not only as a matter of regulatory compliance but also as an issue of social fairness, economic resilience and institutional credibility.

Referring to upcoming EU initiatives, Moushouttas stressed the importance of labour mobility as a cornerstone of the European Union and welcomed progress on the Fair Mobility Package.

He also highlighted what he described as a major achievement of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, saying that after ten years of negotiations, Cyprus succeeded in reaching an agreement with the European Parliament and securing member states’ approval on the revision of the Regulation on the Coordination of Social Security Systems.

According to the Minister, the reform strengthens the rights and social protection of mobile workers, provides greater legal clarity and modernises rules governing long-term care, family and unemployment benefits.

Moushouttas reaffirmed Cyprus’ commitment to supporting the work of the platform within the framework of the European Labour Authority and pledged continued investment in cooperation, knowledge-sharing and joint action to promote fair labour conditions across Europe.

ELA chief says undeclared work detected in 30% of joint EU inspections

Undeclared work was detected in around 30% of all concerted and joint inspections supported by the European Labour Authority since 2021, with about half of the cases identified in the construction sector, ELA Executive Director Cosmin Boiangiu in his own speech.

He said that during the first Week of Action on Undeclared Work, organised from February 16 to 22 this year, 18 member states carried out simultaneous joint inspections across sectors and borders.

According to Boiangiu, inspectors checked 2,294 companies and interviewed 5,239 workers during the operation.

The inspections uncovered under-declared working hours, undeclared employment, bogus self-employment, suspected social security fraud and unsafe working conditions, he said.

‘It is not a technical matter. It is a question of fairness, dignity and trust,’ he said, adding that undeclared work weakens wages, compromises workplace safety and erodes confidence in labour markets.

Boiangiu said the European Platform, established in 2016 and later integrated into the European Labour Authority, had created an unprecedented level of cooperation among labour inspectorates, social security institutions, tax authorities, labour ministries and social partners.

‘No country can address undeclared work by acting alone,’ he said, stressing that labour mobility and unfair practices increasingly transcend national borders.

He also praised Cyprus for its active contribution to cross-border enforcement, noting that the country had already participated in 34 concerted and joint inspections facilitated by ELA.

Boiangiu also called for giving ELA access to EU funding mechanisms to provide targeted expert support to member states in the field of labour markets and declared work.

Passenger traffic at the Larnaka and Pafos airports has nearly doubled, rising from 6.7 million in 2006 to 13.7 million in 2025, Hermes Airports said on Tuesday in a press release on the 20th anniversary since it took over the operation of the two airports. ‘This growth has played a decisive role in establishing tourism as a strategic pillar of the Cypriot economy, contributing approximately 14% to GDP’, the company said.

It notes that today marks 20 years since the signing of the concession agreement between the Republic of Cyprus and Hermes Airports for the management of the international airports of Larnaka and Pafos-“an agreement that ushered in a new era for the travel experience and for Cypriot tourism, leaving a strong imprint on the country’s broader economy’.

Through this landmark deal, it said, ‘the first and largest Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in the country, widely regarded as the most successful project of its kind (awarded ‘Best Transport Project in Europe’ by World Finance in 2013), Cyprus gained two brand-new, state-of-the-art airports in Larnaca and Paphos, with an investment exceeding pound 640 million’.

‘Over the past two decades, thanks to the efforts of Hermes Airports in collaboration with all tourism stakeholders-and despite successive major crises affecting global aviation-the country’s connectivity has been significantly strengthened’, Hermes said, adding that today, Cyprus is connected to the entirety of Europe and the wider Middle East region.

‘Most notably, passenger traffic across the two airports has nearly doubled, rising from 6.7 million in 2006 to 13.7 million in 2025’, it adds. ‘This growth has played a decisive role in establishing tourism as a strategic pillar of the Cypriot economy, contributing approximately 14% to GDP’, it said.

Hermes also notes that Phase Two development projects at both Larnaka and Pafos airports are currently in full progress. ‘With an investment of pound 170 million fully funded by Hermes Airports, the overall capacity of the two airports is being significantly expanded to meet the country’s long-term needs-even beyond the expiration of the current concession agreement. These upgrades respond to the evolving needs of airlines and passengers alike, promising an even more enhanced travel experience,’ it said.

‘Overall, during these twenty years of airport management, direct revenues to the Cypriot state from concession fees have exceeded pound 715 million’, it said. In 2025 alone, it adds, the total direct and indirect contribution of airport operations to the national economy reached pound 789.4 million, ‘making the aviation community one of the most vital sectors of employment in the country’.

‘This anniversary is a particularly meaningful milestone for us, as it gives us the opportunity to reflect on this journey and on the role, we have played as a consistent and reliable partner to the state’, Chief Executive Officer of Hermes Airports, Eleni Kaloyirou, said in a statement.

‘We have contributed decisively to the growth of the Cypriot economy and tourism, while effectively navigating every crisis that has arisen over time-turning challenges into opportunities for further progress and development’, she added.

Through targeted partnerships and strategic initiatives, she noted, ‘we have significantly strengthened Cyprus’s year-round connectivity. At the same time, our activities actively support the wider business community and employment, while Hermes Airports itself is recognised through numerous distinctions as an employer of choice, investing in our people and fostering a modern and supportive working environment’.

Kaloyirou notes that they continue to work with even greater determination, ‘aiming to further enhance the prospects and momentum of our country.’

The Cyprus Presidency approaches sport policy as a tool to promote social cohesion, inclusion and well-being on the European agenda, Minister of Education, Sport and Youth, Athena Michaelidou, said on Tuesday.

She was speaking to journalists in Brussels where the work of the EU Council of Education, Youth, Culture and Sport continues with the second day of proceedings including discussions on the field of sport.

The Cyprus Presidency, she said, “approaches sport policy as a tool to promote social cohesion, inclusion and well-being on the European agenda.”

She noted that a central issue of the discussions will be the role of sport as a means of strengthening social cohesion, as well as its contribution to the promotion of physical and mental health. She also underlined that sport is a lifelong activity accessible to everyone, regardless of age.

Michaelidou stated that ministers are expected to approve Council conclusions on sports tourism, which she said is linked to the economy, sustainability and social cohesion. She added that the Cyprus Presidency will work in depth and with seriousness in this direction, in order to achieve the adoption of the Council conclusions today.

At the same time, she noted that the Cyprus Presidency promotes sport policy as a factor linked to well-being, sustainability and resilience, as well as to citizens’ physical and mental health.

UK Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations, Nick Thomas-Symonds spoke of a ‘historic moment’, since for the first time since Brexit a UK Minister has been invited to participate in the informal European Affairs Council, held in Nicosia on Monday, under the Cyprus’ Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Arriving at the ‘Filoxenia’ Conference Centre in Nicosia, where he will participate at a working lunch, Thomas-Symonds said ‘this is a real historic moment. It’s the first time that a UK minister has been invited to and will speak at this Council since Brexit,’ he said.

He said that it is particularly delightful to be back in Cyprus, since he was here last November to talk about deepening security and economic cooperation.

‘As we see increasing foreign interference in our democracies, and we see the global instability that the world faces at the moment, the message that I’m going to be bringing today is this isn’t a moment to be increasing barriers between like-minded partners. This is a moment to be working together,’ he noted.

Thomas-Symonds added that ‘as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, has been saying, there is a real determination on the part of this government to put us at the heart of Europe. It’s great to be at the heart of Europe today and bring that message that the challenges that we all face, those shared challenges, are better tackled together.’

Risk level for the general population in Europe in relation to Hantavirus is very low, Health Ministry said, noting that the situation is being closely monitored by the competent international and European health authorities.

In a press release issued here on Monday, following the reported cases on a cruise ship in the Atlantic, the Cyprus Ministry noted that hantaviruses are a group of viruses that are transmitted mainly through contact with rodents, such as mice and rats, or through contaminated particles from their environment.

It is also clarified that human-to-human transmission is extremely rare and is not a common way of spreading the virus.

According to the risk report by European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the situation is being closely monitored by the competent international and European health authorities, the Ministry said.

It further pointed out that it is in constant communication and cooperation with European and international public health organisations, constantly evaluating all epidemiological data and implementing the required preparedness protocols, where necessary.

The Ministry also reassured the public that the health system remains fully prepared both in terms of laboratory support and management of possible incidents, in accordance with the current action plans for public health.

Moreover it called on the public to obtain information exclusively from official and reliable sources and to avoid reproducing any unconfirmed details.

Europe is in the midst of a housing crisis, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jorgensen said Monday, praising the work of the Cyprus EU Presidency in this area, noting however that more needs to be done at a European level.

The Commissioner, who was received in the afternoon by President Nikos Christodoulides, referred to the increase in prices in the energy sector, noting that efforts are underway to address these issues.

Welcoming the Commissioner, President Christodoulides referred to the EU’s housing programmes. Regarding the energy sector, he pointed out that it is a matter of the highest priority for the EU.

Energy, Commerce and Industry Minister Michael Damianos said on Monday that technologies being tested at the Cyprus Institute’s PROTEAS Facility could in future help address Cyprus’ energy storage needs, while Cyprus Institute President Prof. Stavros Malas said some of the solutions under development are already technologically mature.

Damianos toured the research facility in Pentakomo, where he was briefed on projects involving renewable energy sources and energy storage technologies. He described the work being carried out as ‘excellent’ and stressed the importance of research and innovation for Cyprus.

Asked whether the technologies developed at PROTEAS could provide solutions for energy storage, Damianos said researchers had presented approaches ‘somewhat different from traditional ideas involving batteries’.

He noted that batteries can help cover demand for limited periods after sunset, particularly during peak demand in the late afternoon, while the solutions under study at PROTEAS focus on longer-duration overnight energy storage. He added that substantial investment, particularly from the private sector, would be required before such technologies could be deployed.

For his part, Malas said the technologies being tested at PROTEAS represent ‘a miniature version of what Cyprus should be’, noting that the island’s geographical isolation makes it necessary to explore not only green energy production but also long-term green energy storage solutions.

He said several technologies being tested at the facility are already at an advanced stage and have been implemented in countries including Saudi Arabia, China, Israel and states in North Africa, stressing that Cyprus must accelerate efforts to develop energy storage capacity.

Malas added that green energy technologies are also linked to water production, noting that combined systems for energy, heat and desalinated water production are already being developed at the Pentakomo facility.

According to Malas, a new unit using solar energy for desalinated water production intended for agricultural use is expected to become operational soon. He said funding had already been secured for the project, which he described as part of a broader ecosystem aimed at sustainable energy production, energy storage and support for agriculture.

Malas also said the Cyprus Institute works closely with companies developing technologies at an advanced stage, adding that applied research centres can play a key role in helping products reach the market by supporting cooperation between research institutions and industry.