Category: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus issue and the resumption of the peace talks are on the spotlight as of tomorrow with the arrival on the island of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, a few months before the end of his term in office. UN Chief will make an effort to leave with deliverables on the Cyprus issue vis-a-vis a resumption of talks after the 2017 Crans Montana talks, which failed to yield any results.

Guterres arrives on the island Monday evening, coming from Syria. His personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin, who arrived in Cyprus Saturday, is scheduled to meet with President Christodoulides on Monday at 9.30 am (local time), as announced by the Presidential Office.

?er meeting with Tufan Erhurman is scheduled for 11.00 am.

On Tuesday morning, the UN Secretary-General will meet with President Christodoulides. The President was in Athens yesterday for consultations and coordination with the Greek Premier.

Guterres’ meeting with Tufan Erhurman is scheduled for 11.45 on Tuesday.

At noon, the UN chief will lay a wreath at the Peacekeepers’ Monument outside Ledra Palace and at 4.00 pm he will visit the Committee on Missine Persons’ lab.

Meetings with negotiators, heads of technical committees and civil society representatives have been scheduled for later in the day.

In the evening, UNSG will participate in a private dinner with the two leaders at the residence of Special Representative at Nicosia Airport.

On Wednesday morning, Guterres will have a joint meeting with the two leaders at Nicosia Airport and will give a press conference.

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.

East Mediterranean hydrocarbon reserves in the Greece, Cyprus, Israel axis could help enhance Europe’s energy supply, stressed panelists during the first Eastern Mediterranean Energy, Geopolitical and Maritime Security Summit, which was held as part of the 30th Anniversary the World Hellenic Inter-Parliamentary Association (PADEE-WHIA) on Friday, July 24, in Rhodes, Greece.

According to an organisers’ statement, PADEE-WHIA is the only global organization bringing together legislators of Hellenic heritage serving in parliaments around the world, with the mission of strengthening cooperation among Hellenic legislators and promoting closer ties with Greece and Cyprus.

As noted, the event, held under the auspices of the Region of South Aegean, brought together legislators of Hellenic heritage, government officials, diplomats, academics, and policy experts to discuss key strategic developments in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Summit was officially opened by Rhode Island State Senator Leonidas Raptakis from the United States and President of PADEE-WHIA, while welcome addresses were delivered by Nikos Pavlakidis, Deputy Mayor of Rhodes, Christos Michalakis, Deputy Regional Governor for Strategic Planning of the South Aegean Region, and Rear Admiral Georgios Christianos, Director General for Operations, Security and Law Enforcement of the Hellenic Coast Guard at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy.

Among the Summit’s three featured panels was one on Maritime Security, moderated by Admiral (Ret.) Ioannis Egolfopoulos, with presentations by Rhode Island State Senator Leonidas Raptakis, Michael McCormack, Member of the Federal Parliament of Australia, Aris Babikian, Member of Provincial Parliament in Ontario, Canada, and Professor Miltiadis Sarigiannidis of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

The second panel focused on energy issues and was moderated by Costis Stambolis, Chairman and Executive Director of the Institute of Energy for Southeast Europe (IENE). The panel featured Dimitrios Kardomateas, President and General Manager of the Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving (CRES), Steve Malagari, Pennsylvania State Representative, USA, Basil Zempilas, Leader of the Western Australian Liberal Party, and George Kremlis, an internationally recognized expert on energy, climate, and environmental policy.

Speaking also at the Energy Security segment was Chairman of the Institute of Energy for Southeastern Europe (IENE) Costis Stambolis, who stressed the crucial role of Greece and Cyprus in strengthening European energy security.

‘In view of mounting energy supply concerns because of geopolitical instability, East Mediterranean hydrocarbon reserves in the Greece, Cyprus, Israel axis could help enhance Europe’s energy supply. However, in order to be able to exploit the region’s considerable oil and gas reserves cooperation needs to improve between all East Mediterranean countries, which must agree on their Economic Exclusion Zones (EEZ) as foreseen by International Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) provisions’, he noted.

It is added that the third panel targeted Geopolitical concerns, moderated by Professor John Nomicos, Director of the Research Institute for European and American Studies (RIEAS). It brought together Marietta Karamanli (Member of Parliament, France), Savet Constantine (Connecticut State Representative, USA), Stacey Travers (Arizona State Representative, USA), Steve Georganas (Member of the Federal Parliament of Australia), Noam Katz, Ambassador of Israel to Greece, and Panagiotis (Peter) Mihalos, President of the Mihalos Foundation and former Secretary General for International Economic Affairs of the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Each panel concluded with an interactive discussion, providing elected officials from PADEE-WHIA and participants with an opportunity to exchange perspectives on regional security, energy cooperation, and the geopolitical developments shaping the Eastern Mediterranean.

‘Shaped by a complex hybrid threat environment in which traditional naval challenges intersect with cyber warfare, subsea infrastructure vulnerabilities, and geopolitical coercion, the Mediterranean remains a strategic hub for European energy security and global trade, while the boundaries between civilian and military activities continue to become less distinct. This evolving security landscape presents a range of interconnected challenges’, it was further noted.

The Summit’s closing remarks and final discussion reaffirmed the visiting legislators’ and parliamentarians’ commitment to strengthening international parliamentary dialogue and cooperation, the statement concludes.

Temperatures are expected to rise significantly from Tuesday, exceeding 40C and remaining above that level through Thursday, Department of Meteorology Officer Iasonas Christodoulou told CNA.

Christodoulou said the weather will remain mainly fine over the coming days, with inland temperatures reaching around 38C on Monday before climbing above 40C from Tuesday.

“We will remain above 40C until Thursday,” he said, adding that temperatures could reach 41C to 42C on Wednesday and Thursday.

He noted that the average for inland areas is around 38C, meaning temperatures will be close to seasonal norms on Monday before rising well above average from Tuesday through Thursday.

According to Department of Meteorology data, July rainfall has so far reached 5.6 mm, equivalent to 215% of the monthly average of 2.6 mm, based on the 1961-1990 climatological reference period.

Total rainfall since October 1, 2025, has reached 578.3 mm, equivalent to 117% of the normal rainfall of 495.6 mm for the same period, based on the 1961-1990 climatological reference period.

House President Annita Demetriou on Sunday stressed that the pursuit of Cyprus’ reunification remains a national responsibility, calling for unity and a return to substantive peace talks ahead of the expected visit of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to the island.

Speaking at the annual memorial service for the fallen of Troulloi village at the Church of Agios Mamas in Larnaca district, Demetriou said the heroes of the community had become “part of history” through their sacrifice and left behind a legacy of freedom, patriotism and hope for future generations.

She said historical memory was not confined to the past but constituted a responsibility for the present and the future, adding that this responsibility requires the continuation of efforts for the liberation and reunification of Cyprus.

“In view of the forthcoming visit of the United Nations Secretary-General to Cyprus, our responsibility becomes even greater”, Demetriou said in her memorial address.

She said Cyprus’ political leadership must work “with unity, seriousness, responsibility and a clear direction” to return to the negotiating table and secure the resumption of meaningful negotiations.

Demetriou reiterated that the objective remains a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem based on international law, United Nations resolutions and the principles and values of the European Union.

She said such a solution should guarantee a future of hope, security and prosperity for all Cypriots and future generations.

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.

CNA/SH/EC/AGK/2026S, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

The Cyprus Government is investing in UN Secretary-General’s visit to Cyprus, showcasing a constructive stance, Deputy Spokesperson Yiannis Antoniou said on Sunday, pointing out that the Greek Cypriot side is seeking, more than anyone else, a viable and just Cyprus solution.

Speaking during a event in Strovolos, Nicosia, organized by the Turkish-occupied community council of Assia, at a monument for the community’s fallen and missing persons, on the occasion of commemorations for the victims of the 1974 coup and Turkish invasion, Antoniou said that we stand ready and have a clear commitment to the goal of resuming substantive negotiations that will lead to a sustainable solution. But he noted that we are cautiously optimistic and remain realistic as we know that the road is long and difficult. ”However, the historical duty requires perseverance and commitment to the highest goal of liberation and reunification”, he went on to say.

Antoniou also reassured that the President of the Republic and its government are collectively doing everything humanly possible to bring justice to the people who sacrificed themselves and fought for our freedom.

Addressing the people of Assia, he said that the community paid the heaviest price of the Turkish invasion. He said that when the Turkish army entered the village, the people were confronted with acts of violence, murder, abuse and abductions as a result of which eighty-eight people, who were originally from or lived in Assia, became missing.

He said that the remains of 69 people have been identified, with evidence testifying to their brutal murder, while the fate of 19 others is still unknown.

Antoniou spoke of the case of a group of 70 males from Assia and the surrounding villages, who were abducted from their houses and piled into buses and were later murdered, describing this incident as particularly shocking. He said that some remains were later found in wells, but their main remains had been moved from their original burial sites.

The Deputy Spokesperson went on to say that the President of the Republic raises this specific issue at every opportunity, in an effort to convince Turkey to cooperate and to provide access to the archives of the Turkish army, providing information.

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.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (A)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 26/07/2026 UNTIL 0600 27/07/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1005hPa (hectopascal)

Seasonal low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine but at times increased cloud will be present.

Visibility: Good

Sea surface temperature: 28°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Morning Variable 3 Slight

Afternoon West to Northwest 4, at times locally 4 to 5 Slight to Moderate

Night Northwest 4 Slight to Moderate

South Coast

Morning Variable 3 Slight

Afternoon Southwest 4, at times locally 4 to 5 Slight

Night Northwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

East Coast

Morning Variable 3 Slight

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

Night West to Northwest 3 Smooth to Slight

North Coast

Morning Variable 3 Slight

Afternoon Northwest 4, at times locally 4 to 5 Slight

Night Northwest 3 to 4 Slight

Time of issue: 0530

Date: 26/07/2026

CNA/EA/AGK/2026S, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

Cyprus is expected to have electricity storage batteries in January 2027, Energy Minister Michael Damianos said. He explained that the contracts have already been signed with the company to provide the batteries and the Transmission System Operator. He furthermore assured that there is a long-term plan for the country’s energy sufficiency.

According to the Minister, the infrastructure will be completed before the summer of 2027, which will add a total of 125 megawatts of stored energy to the country’s energy grid. He explained that this will allow the utilization of energy from renewable energy sources (RES) that is currently lost. Therefore, he noted, power cuts will not be required during the next summer period.

Damianos explained that currently Cyprus has just over 1,000 megawatts of conventional production, which is sufficient during the daytime. However, during the early hours of the night, especially in the summer months, the demand is higher and the available conventional production is not always sufficient to meet the needs.

The Minister noted that the storage of energy produced by RES is the solution to this problem and is expected to substantially improve the situation from next summer.

At the same time, he said that private companies have been provided with connection conditions for additional 150 megawatts of storage systems, which are also expected to be integrated into the energy grid within 2027.

At the same time, Damianos said, the Electricity Authority (EAC) is also moving forward with its own storage projects with a total capacity of 180 megawatts, of which a total capacity of 80 and 100 megawatts, will be ready before next summer.

Replying to a question the Minister noted that according to the Head of the Transmission System Operator, the situation remains manageable.

Referring to the problems that occurred last week, he explained that these were due to a failure in one of the EAC generators. He said that both the EAC and the Operator are making huge efforts to ensure, with the means currently available, the adequacy of the electrical system.

Damianos noted that there is a long-term plan for the country’s energy sufficiency, a specific plan for covering the needs next summer, as well as for the management of the remaining summer season.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (B)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1200 26/07/2026 UNTIL 1200 27/07/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1008hPa (hectopascal)

Seasonal low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine.

Visibility: Good

Sea surface temperature: 28°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

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

Night Northwest 4, at times locally 4 to 5 Slight

Morning Northwest 3 Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

South Coast

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

Night Northwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

Morning Northwest to Northeast 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

East Coast

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

Night West to Northwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

Morning Northwest to Northeast 3 to 4 Slight

North Coast

Afternoon Northwest 3 to 4, at times locally 4 Slight

Night Northwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

Morning Variable 3 Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

Time of issue: 1130

Date: 26/07/2026

CNA/EA/AGK/2026S, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

The Cypriot government remains firmly committed to the reunification of the island and to efforts aimed at resolving the Cyprus issue, ministers said on Sunday during separate memorial services commemorating those who lost their lives in Cyprus’ national struggles.

Speaking at the religious and national memorial service for the fallen of Akanthou, Minister of Labour and Social Insurance Marinos Moushouttas said preserving historical memory and honouring those who sacrificed their lives for the country’s freedom remained a national duty. He described Akanthou as a symbol of sacrifice and resistance, noting that the community paid a heavy price during both World Wars and the 1974 Turkish invasion.

Referring to the 52nd anniversary of the coup and the Turkish invasion, Moushouttas said the events of 1974 continue to leave deep scars on Cypriot society, with thousands displaced, killed, missing or taken prisoner. He stressed that history cannot be erased and that remembrance is essential in the pursuit of justice and the island’s reunification.

Conveying a message from President Nikos Christodoulides, the Minister reiterated that resolving the Cyprus issue remains the government’s top priority. He said the government is working to create the conditions for the resumption of direct negotiations under the agreed United Nations framework, in line with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, the EU acquis and the principles and values of the European Union.

“Our goal remains the transformation of the Republic of Cyprus into a modern European state that guarantees security and prosperity for all its lawful residents. We want a Cyprus without guarantees, intervention rights, occupation troops or barbed wire,” he said.

Moushouttas also said the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance would continue supporting displaced persons, the families of the fallen and the missing, and other vulnerable citizens, describing such assistance as a minimal tribute to those who sacrificed for Cyprus.

At a separate memorial service in Paphos honouring Rear Admiral Eleftherios Chandrinos and the commandos who fell during the 1974 invasion, Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry Michalis Damianos said Turkey’s intransigence remains the principal obstacle to progress on the Cyprus issue.

He reaffirmed the Republic of Cyprus’ commitment to reunification on the basis of international law, the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, the agreed settlement framework and the principles of the European Union.

Despite the challenges, Damianos said the government continues to pursue every available diplomatic avenue to restart negotiations. He highlighted the European Union’s increased involvement in the Cyprus issue, including the recent appointment of an EU Special Representative, and welcomed the efforts of UN Secretary-General António Guterres to create conditions conducive to the resumption of meaningful talks.

The Minister said Guterres’ recent visit to Cyprus underscored the importance of the ongoing diplomatic process.

Marking the anniversary of the Turkish invasion, Damianos said the wounds of 1974 remain open as the occupation continues, thousands of displaced people are still unable to return to their homes, and the families of missing persons continue to await answers.

He paid tribute to the commandos who died defending Cyprus in 1974, saying their courage and self-sacrifice serve as a lasting legacy for future generations and a reminder that freedom, democracy and national dignity are safeguarded through unity, perseverance and sacrifice.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied the island’s northern third. Repeated UN-led efforts to reunify the island have failed to produce a settlement, with the last formal round of negotiations collapsing at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, in 2017.

The UN Chief will host the Greek Cypriot leader, President Nikos Christodoulides, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhman, at his Good Offices Mission inside the UN Protected Area, on Wednesday, 29 July, after separate meetings with the leaders and a joint private dinner the previous day.

Maria Erokhina secured her place in the 100m breaststroke semi-finals at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, marking the first time a Cypriot swimmer has qualified for a semi-final at the Games.

According to the Cyprus Olympic Committee, the Cypriot swimmer finished seventh in the fourth heat with a time of 1:10.70 and was ranked 16th out of 28 competitors, securing a place in the semi-finals.

The 100m breaststroke semi-final will take place on Saturday at 22:55 Cyprus time.

Furthermore, Filippos Iakovides finished fifth in his heat in the 50m freestyle with a time of 24.48 and was ranked 45th out of 68 swimmers, failing to qualify for the next round.