Category: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos condemned on Monday the signing of what he described as an illegal memorandum of understanding between Turkey and the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus for the construction of a natural gas pipeline, calling it another attempt to consolidate the faits accomplis of the occupation and further integrate the occupied territories into Turkey.

Kombos raised the issue during the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, where EU Foreign ?inisters discussed Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, the EU’s strategic approach to the Black Sea region, the situation in the Middle East, EU-United Nations relations, and the latest developments in Sudan.

According to an official statement, the Cypriot Foreign ?inister strongly condemned the signing of the memorandum, stressing that the Republic of Cyprus denounces Turkey’s latest illegal actions and will continue to defend its sovereign rights under international law.

On Ukraine, Kombos supported further EU measures to strengthen the country’s energy resilience and backed the adoption of the 21st package of EU sanctions against Russia, as well as additional efforts to prevent sanctions circumvention.

Regarding the EU’s Black Sea strategy and the planned Maritime Security Hub, Kombos said further discussion within the Council was needed before decisions are taken, particularly in light of the possible involvement of third countries and the criteria governing such participation.

Addressing the situation in the Middle East, he reiterated the need for a return to diplomacy in the wake of tensions involving Iran and the United States, calling for the restoration of freedom of navigation and the avoidance of further escalation. On Gaza and the West Bank, he stressed the need to intensify humanitarian efforts, while underlining the importance of continued EU support for Lebanon.

On the sidelines of the Council, Kombos participated in the 3rd EU-Gulf Cooperation Council High-Level Forum on Regional Security, where he highlighted the importance of strengthening strategic cooperation between the EU and Gulf countries.

Following the Council meeting, he also attended the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of the Palestinian Donor Group (PDG), co-chaired by European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica and Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa. During the meeting, Kombos announced new support by the Republic of Cyprus, through CyprusAid, to strengthen six hospitals in East Jerusalem.

The Cypriot Foreign Minister also held a series of bilateral meetings with counterparts on the sidelines of the Council.

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The European Commission has given a positive assessment of Cyprus’ sixth payment request worth pound 120 million under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the central pillar of the NextGenerationEU programme.

According to an announcement by the EU Commission, the assessment confirms that Cyprus has successfully completed 22 milestones and five targets linked to reforms and investments across key sectors, including healthcare, education, public administration, the business environment and the green transition.

Among the flagship measures are the establishment of a new school evaluation system to improve education quality and student outcomes, the rollout of a cross-border health data exchange system enabling e-prescriptions and patient summaries, the introduction of flexible working arrangements in the public sector, the expansion of the electronic building permit system with new digital functionalities such as e-signatures and e-consultation, and the expansion of renewable energy and smart grid testing infrastructure at the University of Cyprus.

Cyprus submitted its sixth payment request on 17 December 2025. The Commission has forwarded its preliminary positive assessment to the Economic and Financial Committee (EFC), which has four weeks to deliver its opinion. The payment will be authorised once the EFC issues a positive opinion and the Commission formally adopts the payment decision.

Cyprus’s Recovery and Resilience Plan is backed by pound 1.02 billion in grants and focuses on reforms and investments supporting the green and digital transitions, economic competitiveness, healthcare, education and judicial efficiency.

Once the sixth payment is disbursed, Cyprus will have received pound 683 million under the RRF, including pound 131 million in pre-financing in 2021 and a pound 21 million REPowerEU pre-payment in 2024. This represents 67% of the country’s total RRF allocation, while 62% of the plan’s milestones and targets have already been fulfilled.

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

MEETING DATE: 13/07/2026

INDICES BASE VALUES: FTSEMed=5000, OTHERS = 1000

EURO (pound )

TRADED VALUE 339.583,63

INDEX

VALUE

%DIFF.

VALUE

FTSE/CySE 20

183,240

0,420

331.255,630

MAIN MARKET INDEX

248,520

0,520

271.683,800

INVESTMENT COMPANIES MARKET INDEX

3.012,380

0,000

22.818,670

CSE GENERAL INDEX

311,680

0,430

331.453,630

HOTELS INDEX

1.964,800

-2,200

2.000,000

ALTERNATIVE MARKET INDEX

2.053,840

0,200

67.899,830

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

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EU steps up international support for Palestinians with major initiative for Gaza’s early recovery and stronger international coordination

Today, the European Commission is convening the second meeting of the Palestine Donor Group (PDG), co-chaired by Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica and Palestinian Authority’s (PA) Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa. 65 delegations gather in Brussels for the launch of a new Initiative for early recovery in Gaza and to discuss the Palestinian Authority’s Reform Agenda.

The meeting is delivering on two key outcomes: increased financial pledges through the PEGASE mechanism, and the launch of the Team Gaza Initiative. Participants include Ministers and senior officials from EU Member States and partner countries, as well as representatives of international and regional organisations and financial institutions. The meeting is attended for the first time by the High Representative of the Board of Peace, Nikolay Mladenov, and the Head of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, Ali Shaath.

Commission adopts measures to support implementation of EU Deforestation Regulation

Today, the European Commission adopted measures on the product scope of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the functioning of its Information System. Together with the amendments agreed last December, the updated Guidance document – available in the coming days in all EU languages – and Frequently Asked Questions, these measures will provide greater legal certainty and predictability for businesses and Member States while ensuring the Regulation can be applied effectively as of December 2026.

The delegated act updates and simplifies the list of products covered by the Regulation. Following stakeholder consultation, public feedback, and assessment with the methodology from the Staff Working Document, cattle hides, skins, leather, re-treaded tyres, soybeans for sowing, articles of vulcanised rubber, conveyor and transmission belts, and aircraft and motor vehicle seats are removed from the scope of the Regulation. At the same time, soluble coffee, certain palm oil derivatives and frozen cattle tongues are added to the list of products. To allow businesses sufficient time to prepare, the new products added to the scope will become subject to the Regulation from 30 December 2027. The Delegated Act will now be sent to the European Parliament and Council for scrutiny before entry into force.

The implementing act sets out the functioning of the Information System, updating it to reflect the changes introduced by the revised Regulation and enhance the user friendliness of the system. The updated system introduces operational simplifications, including simplified declarations for micro and small primary operators and updated technical specifications for automated application programming interfaces. The IT system is accessible again since June 2026. Companies can already start familiarising themselves with new functionalities and entering their data well ahead of the entry into application. Additional functionalities will be introduced later this summer. The Commission will also continue to improve the system and remain in close contact with companies.

Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, said: ‘With this package, we are providing the clarity and predictability that businesses, Member States and our international partners need to prepare for the application of the EU Deforestation Regulation end 2026. Following the agreement reached by the co-legislators, we have completed the simplification review and put in place the necessary measures to ensure a smooth and effective implementation.’

EU and Bahrain launch Strategic Partnership Agreement negotiations

Yesterday, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, officially launched the negotiations for an EU-Bahrain Strategic Partnership Agreement.

This decision further strengthens the robust partnership between the EU and Bahrain, building on the 2022 EU Joint Communication, which outlined a vision for a deeper partnership with the Gulf, and the joint agenda launched by Gulf and European leaders at the 2024 EU-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Brussels.

High Representative/Vice-President Kallas said: ‘Europe is a reliable partner to the Gulf. The launch of negotiations with Bahrain for a new Strategic Partnership Agreement makes clear we want to deepen our ties. At a time of great instability in the region, partnerships matter more than ever. Once in place, this new framework will bring benefits for both sides and the wider Gulf. In short, the EU and Bahrain will be working much closer in areas of shared interest: common security, stability and trade across our two regions.’

Commissioner Šuica said: ‘Bahrain is a key partner for the EU. With this Strategic Partnership Agreement, we are opening a bold new chapter – deepening cooperation across a wide range of areas, boosting economic cooperation, resilience, innovation, and delivering shared prosperity. Together, we also look forward to working in trilateral cooperation to advance stability, peace and prosperity across the wider region.’

More information on the EU’s relations with Bahrain are available in the joint statement and a dedicated factsheet.

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The Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Dr Maria Panayiotou, participated on Monday in the proceedings of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council of the European Union in Brussels.

According to an announcement, in her intervention the Minister congratulated Ireland on assuming its duties and said that Cyprus would continue to work actively to shape European policies that ensure the sustainability and competitiveness of agriculture and fisheries.

During the discussion on the EU Strategy for Livestock and the Protein Action Plan, the Minister said that the two initiatives constitute central tools for strengthening the resilience of European agriculture, ensuring food security and enhancing the Union’s strategic autonomy.

According to the announcement, the Minister stressed that the success of these initiatives requires adequate funding, meaningful flexibility and respect for national specificities, without placing a one-sided burden on the resources of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Referring to the needs of Cyprus as an island state, she highlighted the need to strengthen biosecurity, prevention and the effective response to animal diseases. She also referred to ensuring a level playing field for European livestock farmers, who are being called upon to adapt to new requirements and increased pressures.

The Minister made particular reference to the role of women in agriculture, noting that the designation of 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer is an important opportunity to highlight the need to strengthen the presence and voice of women in the agri-food sector.

On agricultural issues linked to trade, the Minister highlighted the strategic importance of geographical indications as an advantage of European agriculture.

According to the announcement, the Minister noted that geographical indications protect the authenticity and quality of European products, support producers and strengthen the sustainable development of rural areas.

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Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reforms, Raffaele Fitto, in a post following his designation by the European Commission as the EU’s Special Representative for Cyprus, said he is honoured and thanked Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for her trust and confidence.

‘I am honoured to have been designated by the European Commission as its Special Representative for Cyprus,’ Fitto said, adding that he welcomes this responsibility and remains fully committed to supporting the UN-led process.

He stressed that he will work in close cooperation with the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, María Ángela Holguín, to help create the conditions for the resumption of negotiations and support a comprehensive and lasting settlement, including by building trust among all stakeholders and interlocutors.

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President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides is traveling to Paris Monday afternoon, at the invitation of his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, to attend the military parade of the French Armed Forces, which will take place tomorrow on the Champs-Élysées on the occasion of France’s National Day.

The parade, which will be attended by heads of state and government, heads of EU institutions, and international organisations, will also feature a select unit of the Cyprus National Guard, following an invitation from the French Armed Forces. For this purpose, the Chief of the National Guard, Lieutenant General Emmanuel Theodorou, has also traveled to Paris.

During his stay in Paris, the President of the Republic is expected to meet with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, as well as other foreign leaders.

The President of the Republic, who will return to Cyprus on Tuesday, July 14, will be accompanied to Paris by Deputy Government Spokesman Yiannis Antoniou and other officials.

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The appointment of European Commission Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto as the EU’s Special Envoy for the Cyprus issue reflects the European Union’s increased interest and readiness to play ‘a leading and more substantive role’ in efforts to resume negotiations, Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said on Monday.

In a written statement, President Christodoulides welcomed ‘with particular satisfaction’ the decision by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to appoint Fitto as the EU’s Special Envoy for the Cyprus issue.

‘The choice of a senior official at the highest level of the Commission demonstrates the European Union’s increased interest and its readiness to play a leading and more substantive role in efforts to resume negotiations within the framework of the United Nations, while also adding significant political weight to the joint effort,’ he said.

The President said the development was ‘another tangible result of the consistent strategy’ pursued from the outset at the highest European level.

He noted that this strategy was reflected in the European Council conclusions of April 2024 and was further strengthened by a joint letter sent in March 2025 by the Presidents of the European Commission and the European Council to the UN Secretary-General.

‘A leading role for the EU and the appointment of a European envoy, particularly one holding such a senior position within the Commission, had been strategic objectives of the government from the outset,’ President Christodoulides said.

He added that this was ‘an approach that was met with reservations by some’ but is now ‘recognised as positive and substantive’.

The President also said that, at a time when the UN Secretary-General’s initiative is under way, the European Union has declared its readiness to use the tools at its disposal.

‘Progress in EU-Turkey relations is directly linked to progress on the Cyprus issue and can create meaningful incentives for a mutually beneficial way forward,’ he stressed.

According to the President, ‘determination, consistency and the methodical implementation of our strategy’, combined with the UN Secretary-General’s steadfast commitment, have generated new momentum and concrete initiatives.

‘We will continue to make use of every opportunity for substantive progress, in the hope that all parties, and Turkey in particular, will demonstrate the same genuine political will,’ he said.

Concluding, President Christodoulides thanked the European Commission President ‘for her decisive role, her genuine interest and the close and ongoing coordination’.

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.

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One Indian seafarer remains missing after the Cyprus-flagged container ship GFS GALAXY was struck in the Strait of Hormuz, while the remaining 23 crew members were rescued and safely transferred to Oman, Cyprus Deputy Minister of Shipping Marina Hadjimanolis told the Cyprus News Agency.

Hadjimanolis said the vessel was hit by a projectile of unknown origin at 01:40 Cyprus time on July 11 while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, sustaining extensive damage, primarily to its engine room.

She said the crew consisted of 24 seafarers of various nationalities, including nationals of India, Ukraine, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Philippines, noting that no Cypriot nationals were among the crew.

According to the Deputy Minister, the missing crew member is an Indian national serving as the ship’s Third Engineer, based on information provided by the ship’s management company.

Following the attack, the remaining 23 crew members abandoned the vessel using the lifeboat and were subsequently rescued by the Royal Navy of Oman, which transported them safely ashore, she added.

Hadjimanolis also said that the GFS GALAXY is being towed to the port of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates, while Omani authorities continue search and rescue operations in the area in an effort to locate the missing seafarer.

She noted that the Deputy Ministry of Shipping remains in constant contact with the vessel’s management company, taking all necessary actions and closely monitoring developments.

The Deputy Minister stressed that navigation through the Strait of Hormuz remains particularly challenging for all vessels, regardless of flag, especially under the current security conditions following the recent military hostilities in the region.

Hadjimanolis further pointed out that Cyprus operates one of the world’s largest merchant fleets, with a significant number of vessels sailing under the Cyprus flag internationally, irrespective of the location of their ship-owning companies or the nationality of their crews.

She also said that the Deputy Ministry of Shipping had issued a circular to the maritime industry on February 28, 2026, the day hostilities in the region began, advising stakeholders on precautionary safety measures.

According to the figures she provided, 23 Cyprus-flagged vessels are currently operating in the Persian (Arabian) Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, before the Strait of Hormuz, making continuous monitoring of the situation by the Cypriot authorities essential.

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Deputy Minister for European Affairs Marilena Raouna travels to Brussels on Monday, where she will participate in the European Union (EU) General Affairs Council, taking place on Tuesday.

According to a press release by the Secretariat of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU, “at the opening of the Council, the Irish Presidency will present its priorities for the second half of 2026, with an emphasis on priorities falling within the competence of the General Affairs Council”.

It added that the Ministers will exchange views regarding the progress and future orientation of work concerning the simplification process. The Council will also be called upon to approve conclusions regarding the evaluation of its annual dialogue on the rule of law.

During an informal lunch, the Ministers will discuss the “One Europe, One Market” roadmap with Enrico Letta.

Raouna will also participate in the EU Intergovernmental Conferences with Ukraine, Montenegro, Moldova, and Albania, which will take place on the same day, the press release concluded.

Cyprus assumed the Presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2026 and handed it over on July 1st 2026.

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