Category: Cyprus News Agency

The BASH 2026: Connecting the People Driving Cyprus’ Innovation Ecosystem

More than 200 representatives from Cyprus’ research, innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem attended RIF’s flagship annual networking event

More than 200 representatives from across Cyprus’ research, innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem gathered on Tuesday, 14 July, at The BASH 2026, the flagship annual networking event organised by the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF).

Under the theme “Let’s Cheers to Innovation Together!”, this year’s event once again brought together the people shaping the future of Cyprus through research, innovation and entrepreneurship, creating a vibrant environment for networking, collaboration and the exchange of ideas.

Startups and scaleups, innovative businesses, researchers, academics, investors, business support organisations, public sector representatives and policymakers had the opportunity to connect, establish new relationships and explore future collaborations during an evening that has now become a key meeting point for Cyprus’ innovation community.

The event featured welcome addresses by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Research and Innovation Foundation and Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology, Mr. Demetris Skourides, the Director General of the Research and Innovation Foundation, Mr. Theodoros Loukaidis, and Mr. Constantinos Kleovoulou, representing the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, who all highlighted the importance of collaboration in strengthening Cyprus’ innovation ecosystem.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of RIF and Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology, Mr. Demetris Skourides, stated:

“Cyprus’ innovation ecosystem is growing, maturing and continuously delivering new success stories. This is not happening by chance; it is the result of the collective effort and collaboration of everyone who is part of this community. As the Research and Innovation Foundation, and personally in my capacity as Chief Scientist, we remain committed to securing the necessary resources and creating the right conditions to further strengthen and support our ecosystem. The BASH demonstrates that when the community comes together, new ideas emerge, new partnerships are formed, and the next success stories for Cyprus begin.”

The Director General of RIF, Mr. Theodoros Loukaidis, said:

“Today, Cyprus has a much stronger and more mature innovation ecosystem, ranked 39th globally in the StartupBlink Startup Ecosystem Index. This achievement is the result of a collective effort involving startups and innovative businesses, investors, incubators and accelerators, knowledge transfer offices, our universities, public sector stakeholders, and the Research and Innovation Foundation, which continuously evolves to better support the ecosystem. Together, we are building the foundations for even greater success. Thank you all for being here tonight at The BASH, which has grown into a flagship event, creating opportunities for meaningful networking, new ideas and lasting collaborations.”

Representing the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Mr. Konstantinos Kleovoulou noted:

“Cyprus today has a dynamic research and innovation ecosystem that continues to grow and create new opportunities. The Government remains committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen collaboration and further enhance Cyprus’ research and innovation ecosystem.”

Beyond networking, the event highlighted the significant progress Cyprus has achieved in research and innovation in recent years, while showcasing the value of collaboration between the public and private sectors, universities, research organisations and businesses.

The strong attendance and vibrant atmosphere throughout the evening confirmed that The BASH has firmly established itself as the annual gathering of Cyprus’s innovation community, fostering new synergies, meaningful collaborations and initiatives with lasting impact.

The BASH 2026 was organised under the Innovation Factory initiative of the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) and as part of the activities of the Enterprise Europe Network Cyprus.

Cyprus recorded the largest gap in the EU in favour of young women aged 16 to 24 with at least basic digital skills in 2025, according to data published by Eurostat on Wednesday.

Specifically, the share of young women in Cyprus with at least basic digital skills stood at 73.9%, compared with 55.1% for young men, with the gap reaching 18.8%. Overall, the share of young people aged 16 to 24 in Cyprus who had at least basic digital skills stood at 63.9%.

At EU level, in 2025, 74.6% of young people aged 16 to 24 had at least basic digital skills. The share of young women in the EU stood at 75.9%, compared with 73.3% for young men.

According to Eurostat, in 22 EU countries the share of young women with at least basic digital skills was higher than that of young men. After Cyprus, the largest gaps in favour of young women were recorded in Slovenia, with 11.6 percentage points, and Austria, with 9.1 percentage points.

The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) All Share Index closed at today`s stock exchange meeting as follows:

MEETING DATE: 15/07/2026

INDICES BASE VALUES: FTSEMed=5000, OTH

EURO (pound )

TRADED VALUE:

188,039.05

INDEX

VALUE

% DIFF.

VALUE (pound )

FTSE/CySE 20

181.360

-0.620

187,559.850

MAIN MARKET INDEX

245.080

-0.870

121,117.360

INVESTMENT COMPANIES MARKET INDEX

2,993.730

-0.930

42,868.710

CSE GENERAL INDEX

308.450

-0.630

187,673.220

HOTELS INDEX

1,905.330

-2.660

316.000

ALTERNATIVE MARKET INDEX

2,057.140

0.100

66,886.280

* The second column presents the percentage variation of the indices as compared to the last meeting.

President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, laid a wreath at the Resistance Monument in the Presidential Park marking the 52nd anniversary of the coup of 15 July 1974.

The ceremony was attended by state, political and military leadership, representatives of parties and resistance groups and organizations, the Ambassador of Greece Konstantinos Kollias, as well as relatives of the resistance fighters whose representatives also laid wreaths.

A memorial service was performed by the Bishop of Karpasia, Christoforos, while runners from the ‘Periklis Dimitriou’ Association arrived carrying a flame in memory of the fallen.

The President of the Register of Resistance Fighters Committee, Alexis Charalambous, said they honour the memory of Archbishop Makarios and 67 heroic resistance fighters who sacrificed themselves defending freedom and democracy before, during and after the treacherous coup. He said all of them were murdered-some in cold blood-by EOKA B and the junta coup plotters.

“We honour his memory and bow to the greatness of their sacrifice. Their sacrifice demands one thing: that we hand to our children a homeland that is free, intact, independent, like all European and democratic states. Without compromises or asterisks”, he said. We hope we will prove worthy of their heroic sacrifice, he added.

The coup staged by the Athens’ junta against the elected government of President Makarios on July 15, 1974, served Turkey as a pretext to impose its divisive plans against Cyprus. On July 20, 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus, violating all rules of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations. The illegal Turkish invasion was carried out in two phases. During the second phase, Turkey took the city of Famagusta, under its control and illegally occupies over 36% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus ever since.

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.

By the end of 2027, there will be several hundred megawatts of energy storage in the system, Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Michalis Damianos said on Wednesday.

The Minister was speaking to reporters before a high-level workshop that was convened by the Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB) for reducing the cost of electricity in Cyprus.

Damianos also said that following a letter from the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority (CERA), they are looking into whether to activate article 34, which concerns the immediate installation of conventional production units, adding, however, that the Transmission System Operator of Cyprus (TSOC) itself has said that there will be no adequacy problems this summer.

Invited to refer to the target for the installation of energy storage, Damianos said that the TSOC has already signed for its own storage units, which will arrive in Cyprus in January 2027.

Before the summer of 2027 there will be 120 Megawatts installed by the TSOC, he noted.

‘I believe that by the end of 2027 we will have several hundred Megawatts of storage in the system, and a greater inclusion of Renewable Energy Sources, solar energy, in our energy mix, which will also help with adequacy,’ he added.

Asked whether there will be an increase in fuel prices in Cyprus due to developments in the Middle East, Damianos said that fuel prices are an international issue, adding that prices also depend on the situation in the Middle East.

‘We had reached a very high level in fuel prices and there was some decline,’ he said.

It is an issue, he concluded, that he can not comment on as it concerns external factors.

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 15/07/2026 UNTIL 0600 16/07/2026

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1007hPa (hectopascal)

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

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in mist

Sea surface temperature: 27°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA

PERIOD

WIND

STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Morning

Southeast to Southwest 3, gradually South to Southwest 3 to 4

Slight

Afternoon

Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, at times locally West to Northwest 4

Slight

Night

Northwest 3 to 4, gradually North to Northeast 3

Slight, gradually Smooth to Slight

South Coast

Morning

Southeast to Southwest 3, gradually South to Southwest 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight

Afternoon

South to Southwest 3 to 4, at times locally Southwest 4

Slight

Night

Southwest to West 3 to 4, gradually Northwest 3

Slight, gradually Smooth to Slight

East Coast

Morning

Southeast to Southwest 3, gradually South to Southwest 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight

Afternoon

South to Southwest 3 to 4, at times locally 4

Smooth to Slight, at times locally Slight

Night

Southwest to Northwest 3

Smooth to Slight

North 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 Northwest 4

Slight

Night

Southeast to Southwest 3

Smooth to Slight

France remains ready to contribute to a settlement in Cyprus aimed at a just and lasting solution for the island, for the benefit of all Cypriots, based on a federal model founded on the principle of political equality as set out in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, French Ambassador in Nicosia, Clélia Chevrier Kolacko, said on Tuesday evening.

In her speech during an event in Nicosia to celebrate the Bastille Day, she said that “France continues to support the ongoing dialogue between the parties in Cyprus, which should lead to the resumption of negotiations under the auspices of the UN”.

In this context, she added, Paris welcomes the commitment of Secretary-General Guterres and reiterates its full support for the efforts of his Personal Envoy, María Ángela Holguín.

“What is referred to as the status quo is not one, as it may lead to a deterioration of the situation. France therefore remains ready to contribute to a settlement aimed at a just and lasting solution for the island, for the benefit of all Cypriots, based on a federal model founded on the principle of political equality as set out in the relevant Security Council resolutions,” she underlined.

In his remarks, representing the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Cyprus, Michael Damianos, thanked France for its principled and consistent support for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as its steadfast commitment to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus Issue, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, the principles and values of the European Union.

The Minister said that France has always been much more than a close European partner for Cyprus, adding that “true partnerships are defined by actions, especially in times of uncertainty”.

“Recent developments in our region have demonstrated France’s steadfast support for Cyprus. They have reaffirmed that our Strategic Partnership is expressed not only through agreements, but also through concrete solidarity,” he stressed.

Referring to the bilateral relations, he noted that they have never been stronger. “They have evolved into a truly multi-dimensional partnership, spanning foreign policy, defence and security, energy, education and culture”.

Regarding the sector of energy, he said that it has become one of the defining pillars of this partnership.

“France has been a longstanding and reliable partner in supporting the development of Cyprus’ energy potential,” he pointed out.

Damianos noted that “our cooperation in the energy sector illustrates how Cyprus and France can jointly advance both national and European strategic priorities. This is but one example of the breadth and maturity of our bilateral cooperation”.

Today, he concluded, “our partnership stands as a model of how two EU Member States, united by shared values and strategic interests, can translate political trust into practical cooperation that delivers tangible benefits for our peoples, strengthens the EU and contributes to peace, security and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean”.

Meanwhile, the French Ambassador, referring to the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, she said that its timing was crucial “with an unprecedented array of challenges to be overcome” and she thanked “all the Cypriot authorities who rallied together to make it a success”.

For the Embassy, she pointed out, the Cyprus Presidency was an opportunity to develop and deepen bilateral relations and mutual understanding. She recalled that many French Ministers MPs, senior civil servants and representatives from various sectors visited Cyprus, stressing that President Macron travelled to the island twice.

She also referred to the strategic partnership between the two countries, noting that the results are already obvious in the economic sphere, in the cultural sphere, in research, in education, in the diplomatic sphere, and, in the field of security and defence.

Finally, the French Ambassador thanked the Republic of Cyprus for the support it provided in the fight against the wildfires ravaging the south of France.

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.

The maximum temperatures inland are expected to reach 40C on Thursday, according to the Department of Meteorology.

In a Yellow Warning for extremely high temperatures, valid from 1400 to 1630 local time on Thursday, the department said the maximum temperature inland is expected to reach 40C.

The European Commission has launched a new series of infringement procedures against Cyprus, as the country has been included in a number of decisions concerning the incomplete and delayed transposition of EU directives into national law. The cases concern labour migration, environmental protection, the transport of dangerous goods, capital markets, financial services, hazardous substances in electronic equipment, agriculture, equality bodies and internal market emergency measures.

All procedures are currently at the initial stage of the infringement process, with the Commission having sent letters of formal notice and invited the Cypriot authorities to notify their compliance measures within two months. Should Cyprus fail to provide a satisfactory response, the Commission may proceed to the next stage by issuing a reasoned opinion, before any potential referral to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

More specifically, Cyprus is among the 17 member states that received a letter of formal notice for failing to fully transpose the revised Single Permit Directive (EU 2024/1233), which strengthens the EU framework for legal labour migration from third countries. The directive introduces a faster procedure for granting a single residence and work permit, setting a maximum deadline of 90 days for processing applications, while also enhancing workers’ rights through the possibility of changing employers, complaint mechanisms and protection against exploitation.

In addition, the Commission notified Cyprus of an infringement procedure concerning the incomplete transposition of the Environmental Crime Directive (EU 2024/1203). Cyprus is among the 23 member states that failed to inform the Commission of the full implementation of the new rules, which strengthen the EU legal framework on serious environmental offences and provide for tougher penalties in cases causing significant, widespread or long-lasting environmental damage. The Commission expects corrective measures to be communicated within two months.

Cyprus also received a letter of formal notice for failing to fully transpose new EU rules on roadside inspections of vehicles carrying dangerous goods, under Commission Delegated Directive (EU 2025/1801). The directive updates inspection procedures, replaces the standard roadside checklist and revises the categories of risks associated with possible infringements. This case is likewise at the first stage of the infringement procedure, with Cyprus being given two months to comply.

The Commission has also opened infringement proceedings against Cyprus over the incomplete transposition of the Listing Act Directive (EU 2024/2811), which aims to enhance the attractiveness of EU public capital markets and improve access to financing for smaller companies. The procedure remains at the formal notice stage, as Cyprus has yet to communicate the necessary implementing measures.

The same applies to the incomplete transposition of the EMIR Targeted Review Directive (EU 2024/2994), which introduces amendments relating to the management of risks arising from derivative transactions, the operation of investment entities and the supervision of financial institutions. Cyprus is among the 21 member states that have not yet completed the incorporation of these changes into national legislation and is now required to notify the Commission of the measures adopted.

At the same time, Cyprus is among the seven member states facing infringement proceedings for failing to transpose amendments to the RoHS Directive concerning restrictions on hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. The amendments renew time-limited exemptions for the use of lead in certain applications without lowering existing environmental and health protection standards. This case also remains at the letter of formal notice stage.

Cyprus has further been included in infringement proceedings over the incomplete transposition of Commission Implementing Directive (EU 2025/2449) concerning examination procedures for certain varieties of agricultural plant species and vegetable species. The Commission has requested the Cypriot authorities to address the identified shortcomings within the prescribed deadline.

Moreover, the Commission has sent Cyprus a letter of formal notice for failing to fully transpose the new directives establishing standards for equality bodies (Council Directive (EU) 2024/1499 and Directive (EU) 2024/1500). These rules set minimum requirements regarding the independence, resources and powers of national bodies responsible for combating discrimination. Cyprus is required to demonstrate full compliance within two months.

Finally, Cyprus is among the 24 member states that received a letter of formal notice for failing to fully transpose Directive (EU) 2024/2749, which establishes emergency procedures relating to product conformity assessments, market surveillance and the functioning of the internal market during crises. This case is likewise at the first stage of infringement proceedings.

Overall, the European Commission launched 15 infringement decisions on Wednesday, nine of which concern Cyprus. All of the new cases against Cyprus are currently at the initial stage of the EU infringement procedure, namely the letter of formal notice stage. The Commission expects Nicosia to provide full information on its national implementing measures within the two-month deadline. If Cyprus fails to respond adequately, the Commission may proceed to the next step by issuing reasoned opinions.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (C)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1800 15/07/2026 UNTIL 1800 16/07/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1006hPa (hectopascal)

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

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in mist

Sea surface temperature: 27°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Night Northwest to North 3 to 4, later Northwest to Northeast 3 Slight, later Smooth to Slight

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

Afternoon Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, locally West to Northwest 4 to 5 Slight

South Coast

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

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

Afternoon Southwest to West 4 to 5, soon locally 5 Smooth to Slight

East Coast

Night Southwest to Northwest 3, later locally Variable 2 to 3 Smooth to Slight

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

Afternoon Southeast to Southwest 3 to 4, gradually South to Southwest 4 Smooth to Slight

North Coast

Night Southeast to Southwest 3 Smooth to Slight, initially offshore Slight

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

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