Category: Cyprus News Agency

President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, held a meeting on Monday with the Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to Cyprus, Mohamed Andallah Awad Al – Nahdi.

A press release issued by the parliament said that during the meeting Demetriou and the Ambassador referred to the very good level of relations and the significant upgrade of cooperation between Cyprus and Oman.

They also expressed the will to continue and further strengthen the dialogue and cooperation between the two parliaments at various levels.

The House President also informed the Ambassador of Oman about the parliamentary dimension of the Cyprus EU Presidency that will begin on January 1st.

Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Nicodemos Damianou participated in the EU Competitiveness Council on the Internal Market and Industry, held on Monday, in Brussels. He presented the Presidency’s work programme in the fields of the Internal Market and Industry, highlighting Cyprus’ clear commitment to strengthening Europe’s resilience and its role on the international stage.

Key items on the agenda included the presentation of the Commission’s annual report on simplification and reduction of administrative burden, the supervision of e-commerce products, and the removal of barriers within the Single Market.

A press release issued by the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy said that the Ministers of the 27 exchanged views on the annual review report concerning simplification, its implementation, and enforcement. In his intervention on the matter, the Deputy Minister stressed that a structural change in the EU’s approach is not only necessary but urgent in order to safeguard Europe’s competitiveness. In this regard, he noted that every new legislative initiative must be based on an impact assessment that justifies its necessity, placing existing legislation and digital solutions at the forefront principles which, as he underlined, the Cypriot Presidency will also apply.

A policy debate followed on how to ensure better supervision of products sold through e-commerce platforms. To address the challenges arising from the rapid increase in small-parcel imports into the EU from third countries, stronger coordination and a stricter, clearer regulatory framework for products entering the EU are required, Damianou noted.

During the discussion on removing the obstacles that hinder the smooth functioning of the Single Market, the Deputy Minister described the Single Market Enforcement Task Force (SMET) as the driving force in this process, provided that it receives the support necessary to address those obstacles and facilitate cooperation among Member States within the Single Market.

At the working lunch that followed, ministers exchanged views on the need to unlock investments in innovative green technologies, especially in a context of intense geopolitical competition and technological developments. Damianou spoke of legislative restraint, encouraging the application of rules that are essential for mobilising investment, emphasising that simplification and digitalisation are important tools, particularly for enhancing the administrative capacity of states.

In view of Cyprus assuming the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2026, the Deputy Minister presented the Presidency’s work programme in the fields of the Internal Market and Industry, highlighting Cyprus’ clear commitment to strengthening Europe’s resilience and its role on the international stage, the press release said.

Negotiator of the Greek Cypriot side, Menelaos Menelaou, and Mehmet Dana, representative of the Turkish Cypriot leader, will meet on Wednesday to prepare the December 11 meeting between the two leaders, namely the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhurman, the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) has learnt.

According to CNA information, Menelaou and Dana will hold their preparatory meeting on Wednesday morning, focusing on the joint meeting scheduled for Thursday between the two leaders and the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, María Ángela Holguín, who has been on the island since last Thursday and has already had separate meetings with Christodoulides and Erhurman.

Earlier on December 11, the two leaders will visit the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP).

Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Saturday that the EU Special Envoy for Cyprus, Johannes Hahn, will also be in Cyprus on the same day, describing this as an ‘auspicious coincidence,’ and highlighting the importance of the European dimension in efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue.

Letymbiotis expressed hope that the joint meeting of December 11 will serve as a decisive first step towards the resumption of negotiations on the Cyprus problem.

President Christodoulides has convened a National Council meeting for Friday, during which the political leadership will be briefed on the outcome of the latest contacts.

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. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017, at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

An informal high-level meeting of Permanent Secretaries, SG’s and Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs of EU countries is taking place in Nicosia on Tuesday, in view of the Cyprus EU Presidency which begins on January 1st, 2026.

A press release issued by the Secretariat of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU said that delegations were given a tour of the Leventis Gallery in Nicosia on Monday afternoon, while the meeting will begin on Tuesday morning at Nicosia City Hall.

The priorities of the Cyprus Presidency will be presented, followed by a discussion on the topic ‘Addressing opportunities and challenges for the European Union, in the current geopolitical environment, in its borders and beyond’. A second discussion is set titled ‘Cooperation between the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Member States: Joint efforts in managing geopolitical challenges’.

After the meeting the delegations will be given a tour of the old city of Nicosia.

?egotiators of the two communities in Cyprus Menelaos Menelaou and Mehmet Dana are set to meet before the meeting of the leaders President Nikos Christodoulides and T/c leader Tufan Erhurman Thursday with UNSG’s personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin.

The envoy arrived on the island last Thursday and already held separate meeting with the leaders, pointing out that she is optimistic and looks forward to a productive joint meeting.

Cyprus News Agency learned that the meeting of the negotiators will take place either Tuesday or Wednesday. The two met December 3rd as well.

Next Thursday the two leaders will visit the CMP laboratory and then will hold a joint meeting with Maria Angela Holguin.

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 is expected later this year.

María Angela Holguín, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties, while former European Commissioner Johannes Hahn, designated by the Commission as Special Envoy for Cyprus, is also expected to contribute to the settlement process, in cooperation with Holguín.

Migration Deputy Minister Nicholas Ioannides is traveling to Brussels Sunday to attend Justice and Home Affairs Council with asylum solidarity being a main issue on the agenda. During the Council, the Deputy Minister will present the work program of the upcoming Cyprus EU Presidency, to begin January 1st.

A press release says that Ministers will seek to reach an agreement on the annual ”solidarity pool”, the new mechanism that will lead to a fairer sharing of responsibilities in the field of asylum.

The solidarity mechanism will be implemented 12 June 2026, within the framework of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum.

The Council seeks to get the support of member states on three EU legislation issues, namely the Return Regulation, which will lead to faster, simpler and more effective return procedures across the EU, as well as the concepts of safe third country and safe country of origin, which will also contribute to faster return procedures.

During the Council, the Deputy Minister will present the work program of the upcoming Cyprus EU Presidency, to begin January 1st and will take over the Presidency of the Council from his Danish counterpart.

On the sidelines of the Council’s work, and in view of the Cyprus Presidency, Ioannides will have bilateral meetings with the Spanish Minister of Integration, Social Security and Migration Elma Saiz, with the Deputy Minister of the Interior of France Marie-Pierre Vedrenne and the Minister of the Interior of Bulgaria Daniel Mitov.

On Wednesday the Deputy Minister will participate on behalf of Cyprus Republic in the 2nd High-Level Conference of the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling and will have bilateral contacts.

The Deputy Minister returns home Thursday.

There have been no developments on allowing Cyprus-flagged vessels to call at Turkish ports, Deputy Minister of Shipping Marina Hadjimanoli said on Sunday.

Speaking to CNA on the sidelines of a Christmas event in Geroskipou, Hadjimanoli was asked whether there had been any new as regards the lifting of Turkey’s embargo on Cyprus-flagged ships, an issue raised recently by the President of the Republic.

‘The President of the Republic always puts on the table the lifting of the embargo on the docking of ships bearing the Cyprus flag in Turkish ports,’ she said.

However, she noted that ‘there is no development on lifting the Turkish embargo,’ adding that the ban also affects ship-management companies operating in Cyprus.

She expressed hope that a solution could eventually be found.

Despite the long-standing embargo and the challenges Cyprus has faced for many years, the Deputy Minister underlined that the country has still managed to rank among the major players in global shipping.

‘Our flag is present all over the world,’ she said.

Turkey imposed the embargo on Cyprus-flagged ships in 1987.

Cyprus government is expected to propose visa-facilitation measures for Turkish businesspeople in exchange for allowing Cyprus-flagged vessels access to Turkish ports. The proposal is expected to be formally submitted during Cyprus’ presidency of the Council of the EU.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (A)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 07/12/2025 UNTIL 0600 08/12/2025

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1009hPa (hectopascal)

Low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be locally cloudy and at times local showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected. In thunderstorm the winds will be variable with strong gusts.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in showers

Sea surface temperature: 22°C

Warnings: NIL

Cyprus’ re-election to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is ‘very important’, Deputy Minister of Shipping Marina Hadjimanoli said on Sunday.

Asked by CNA about the significance of the re-election, Hadjimanoli said it was ‘a very big effort, especially this year,’ noting that the geopolitical conditions in recent times made the campaign particularly challenging. She said the effort ‘began two years ago’ and pointed out that ‘this time Cyprus managed to rise to 7th place from 12th.’

According to the Deputy Minister, the result ‘shows the trust that other countries-and a global organisation like the IMO-place in Cyprus.’ She noted that Cyprus has been elected to the IMO Council continuously since 1984 and has been a member of the organisation since 1973.

‘Our presence is very important, because in this way we can help shape and participate in policy decisions,’ she added.

Decarbonisation of shipping

Asked about the IMO’s decarbonisation agenda and recent reactions to it, Hadjimanoli said it is ‘a very big chapter that started many years ago’ and expressed hope that with Cyprus assuming the EU Council presidency on 1 January, the Republic will ‘take a leading role in these developments.’

‘We are trying to find a way for this to work globally,’ she said.

She added that the measures under discussion aim to reduce emissions from ships and protect the environment.

‘Intensive efforts are under way,’ she said, expressing hope that the outcome will be ‘something that works for everyone, not just for a few.’

In this context, Hadjimanoli during the EU Transport Ministers’ Council on 4 December in Brussels, joined discussions on adopting global measures for shipping decarbonisation under the IMO framework. She stressed the need for sustainable solutions and consensus among all stakeholders to achieve the maximum possible degree of decarbonisation.

Deputy Minister for European Affairs Marilena Raouna welcomed on behalf of the Government the European Commission’s announcement approving the Republic of Cyprus’ application and granting a pound 2.3 million advance from the EU Solidarity Fund, for the devastating July 2025 wildfires in Limassol and Paphos.

‘With today’s decision, the European Commission offers tangible support to the Republic of Cyprus, turning European solidarity into action,’ she said in a written statement.

She recalled that the application to the Solidarity Fund was submitted on 14 October 2025 under the provisions of the relevant Regulation, and its approval ‘constitutes a clear confirmation that the Government’s actions were immediate, well-documented and in line with the prescribed European procedures.’

The Deputy Minister noted that from the very first moment after the fires in Limassol and Paphos, the entire state mechanism was activated so that affected residents could receive immediate and substantial assistance and support.

At the same time, she added, all necessary procedures for securing European support were advanced in accordance with the Regulation governing the EU Solidarity Fund.

‘The European Commission’s decision is a tangible recognition of the effectiveness of the efforts undertaken by the Republic of Cyprus,’ she said.

Raouna also reminded that preparation of the application followed a series of contacts and consultations beginning on 24 July, including communication with the office of the President of the European Commission and the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, to determine the first steps and procedures for submitting the request.

She said that after she officially assumed political coordination of the application by Cabinet decision on 30 July, an action unit was created for the coordination and preparation of the submission. This was followed by coordination meetings with all competent authorities and further consultations with DG REGIO for guidance and clarifications.

‘The successful completion of the process was the result of close cooperation and coordination among state services and bodies,’ she noted, expressing warm thanks to all Ministries, services and officials who worked swiftly and effectively toward the timely submission.