Category: Cyprus News Agency

The bridge between education and the labour market is crucial, Minister of Labour and Social Insurance, said Marinos Moushouttas, during the Larnaca College graduation ceremony on Friday, adding that he sees this firsthand every day.

He added that the economy, businesses, public organisations and social services are not simply looking for degree holders; they are looking for people with integrity, skills, and a willingness to contribute.

Cyprus, he continued, needs graduates who will not passively wait for a job opportunity, but who will create value, innovate, and take initiative to help drive the country’s progress.

Temperatures inland are expected to climb to 40°C from Sunday until Wednesday, prompting the issuance of a yellow warning each day during that period, according to Meteorological Officer Mattheos Papadakis, who spoke to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA).

He noted that the first yellow warning for high temperatures is expected to be issued on Saturday afternoon. Papadakis added that temperatures are currently around 2 to 2.5 degrees Celsius above the seasonal average, but the country is not experiencing a heatwave, which is determined not only by temperature but also by humidity and wind conditions.

Today, temperatures are expected to reach 39°C inland, 31°C on the western coast, around 33°C on the remaining coastal areas, and 27°C in the higher mountainous regions. According to Papadakis, the weather will generally be mostly clear, with increased cloud cover over the mountains during the afternoon from today through Wednesday.

He went on to say that temperatures will rise further from tomorrow, reaching around 40°C inland, 35°C along the southern and eastern coasts, 32°C on the western and northern coasts, and about 30°C in the higher mountain areas.

“With these temperatures, we will issue a yellow warning for high temperatures affecting the interior. Roughly the same weather conditions are expected to continue on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday,” he said.

Asked about humidity, Papadakis said that it will generally remain low, except during the evening in coastal areas, where patchy mist and low cloud are also expected.

Commenting on the observation that “so far the summer has been fairly mild and not too harsh,” the Meteorologist agreed that temperatures had been close to the seasonal average, but noted that it now appears that we gradually moving into a period of higher temperatures.

Cyprus firefighters wrapped up on Saturday their mission aiming to assist in combating the major wildfires in France.

National Civil Protection Coordinator, Chief Fire Officer Nikos Logginos, told CNA that the support crew returns to Cyprus on Saturday, while the two firefighting aircraft and their pilots are expected to arrive on Sunday after making intermediate stops for refuelling.

The Chief Fire Officer said that during their deployment in France, the Cypriot aircraft carried out a large number of firefighting operations, conducting repeated water drops and contributing significantly both to tackling the active fire front and suppressing flare-ups.

Logginos said the Cypriot firemen have now completed their mission as the situation in the area where the Cypriot aircraft had been operating was now stable and the wildfire has been under control.

The two aircraft departed this morning from the Perpignan area in southwestern France, where they had been based throughout the operation, and began their return journey to Cyprus.

As Logginos explained, due to the long distance involved, the aircraft return via a number of intermediate stops for refuelling before completing the final leg of their journey to Cyprus.

According to him, the aircraft will make stops in Sardinia, Lamezia in Italy and Souda in Crete before departing for Paphos on Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, the mission’s support crew is returning to Cyprus on Saturday evening, on a private flight.

It is recalled that Cyprus responded to a request from France through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism rescEU by deploying two firefighting aircraft to reinforce firefighting operations.

As Logginos had previously noted, the deployment of the two aircraft was made possible because the situation in Cyprus allowed them to be assigned temporarily to support firefighting efforts in France.

President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, pledged on Saturday that the state is doing its utmost to prevent a tragedy similar to the 2011 Mari naval base explosion from happening again, while renewing the Republic’s apology for the mistakes and omissions that led to the disaster.

Delivering the address at the annual memorial service for the 13 victims of the July 11, 2011 explosion at the “Evangelos Florakis” naval base in Mari, in Larnaca district, the President said the state has introduced institutional procedures, continuous training, strict protocols and international best practices aimed at reducing risks and strengthening public safety.

“Through institutionalised procedures and continuous training, based on strict protocols and international practices, we are doing everything humanly possible to reduce potential risks, act preventively and provide safety in all sectors,” he said.

The President also stressed that assuming responsibility is “the highest virtue” for those entrusted with serving citizens, adding that the 13 men who lost their lives in the disaster “define the duty of all of us who hold public office to act responsibly and remain accountable to the citizens.”

The President repeated the state’s apology to the victims’ families, saying: “As President of the Republic of Cyprus, on behalf of the State, I owe you a sincere apology and ask for forgiveness for the mistakes and omissions that led to the deadly explosion.”

He noted that the blast claimed the lives of 13 people, destroyed the country’s main power generation facility, caused extensive economic damage and plunged Cyprus into an unprecedented crisis.

The President acknowledged that “our homeland remains forever exposed because it failed to provide them with the necessary safety,” adding that this “unfulfilled duty continues to weigh on the collective memory and conscience of the Cypriot people.”

President Christodoulides also stressed that the Mari site serves as a reminder that the state has a duty to safeguard human life and critical infrastructure, particularly in a country that has remained under occupation for 52 years, adding that strengthening the sense of security is a top priority for every state.

The annual memorial service for the 13 victims was held at the Church inside the “Evangelos Florakis” Naval Base in the presence of the President of the Republic and state officials.

Before the service, President Christodoulides inspected an inter-service National Guard honour guard comprising naval, army and air force personnel, while the National Guard Military Band performed military marches and the national anthem. The ceremony included a one-minute silence and a wreath-laying ceremony.

Later on Saturday, another ceremony honouring the firefighters who lost their lives in the Mari disaster was held at the EMAK rescue unit’s headquarters in Kofinou, in the presence of President Christodoulides, senior state officials and the families of the victims. Wreaths were laid at the firefighters’ memorial, a one-minute silence was observed and the ceremony concluded with the singing of the national anthem. House President Annita Demetriou, Metropolitan Gregory of Paphos, relatives of the victims, state officials, MPs and representatives of the security forces and local authorities also attended.

Earlier in the day, at 0400 local time, members of the EMAK rescue unit carried out the traditional memorial march from Kofinou to the “Evangelos Florakis” Naval Base at Mari, retracing the approximately 17-kilometre route taken by EMAK emergency vehicles as they responded to the fatal explosion on July 11, 2011. The march was led by an EMAK command vehicle carrying the unit’s commander and was escorted by the Police and Ambulance Service.

The Mari explosion, triggered by the detonation of confiscated munitions stored at the naval base, killed 13 people, devastated Cyprus’s largest power station at nearby Vasiliko and caused severe damage to the country’s economy.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (B)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1200 11/07/2026 UNTIL 1200 12/07/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1012hPa (hectopascal)

Seasonal low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine but tonight and early morning locally increased low cloud coverage will be present with risk of local mist and/or fog patches.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in mist and very poor in fog

Sea surface temperature: 27°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

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

Night West to Northwest 3 to 4, gradually near the coast Northwest to Northeast 3 Slight

Morning Southwest to West 3 to 4, gradually West to Northwest 4 Slight

South Coast

Afternoon Southwest to West 4 to 5, locally 5 Slight

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

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

East Coast

Afternoon South to Southwest 3 to 4, at times locally 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight

Night Southwest to Northwest 3 Smooth to Slight

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

North Coast

Afternoon Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, locally 4 Slight

Night South to Southwest 3 to 4, gradually near the coast Southeast to Southwest 3 Smooth to Slight

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

CNA/PC/MK/2026

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

Cyprus is pursuing reforms to ensure that its Social Insurance system remains fair and financially sustainable in the face of demographic challenges, Labour and Social Insurance Minister Marinos Moushouttas said on Friday.

Speaking at the inauguration of Grawe Cyprus’ fifth branch in Nicosia, Moushouttas said the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance is working to safeguard the long-term sustainability of the country’s pension system.

“Our goal is a system that is fair, adequate and financially sustainable, guaranteeing a dignified retirement income,” he said.

The Minister warned that rising life expectancy, an ageing population and changing labour market conditions are making pension reform increasingly urgent.

“We are living through a period of demographic transition. Rising life expectancy, an ageing population and changing labour market conditions make pension reform not simply desirable, but necessary,” he said.

Moushouttas said Cyprus’ pension framework rests on three complementary pillars, with the Social Insurance system forming the foundation, occupational pension schemes providing a second layer of protection and voluntary private insurance supplementing retirement income.

He noted that the third pillar is becoming increasingly significant, saying private insurance and personal savings schemes enable people to plan ahead, protect their income and face future uncertainties with greater confidence.

The Minister also described the insurance sector as a key component of the country’s social protection framework, particularly during periods of crisis and natural disasters, underlining its contribution to economic and social resilience.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus has rejected and condemned the assertions contained in the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey concerning the resolution adopted by the European Parliament on 8 July.

The Cypriot MFA noted in a press release on Saturday that the European Parliament unequivocally condemned, once more, the military invasion by Turkey and the continued illegal occupation of part of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus as a serious violation of international law and an obstacle to peace, stability and European Union-Türkiye relations.

It further condemned, in line with core European Union values and principles, the grave violations of human rights stemming from the Turkish invasion, with specific reference to sexual violence against women and girls during and after the 1974 invasion, the press release added.

It said that “Turkey is reminded that it continues to bear responsibility under international law for these violations and is called upon to acknowledge these deplorable acts, to assume responsibility and to provide full and effective reparations.”

Fifty-two years after the Turkish invasion and ongoing military occupation, Turkey remains responsible to the international community, to the victims and survivors whose suffering and resilience deserve remembrance, justice and respect, the Ministry noted.

A resolution on the impact of the 1974 Turkish invasion on the women and girls of Cyprus, the crimes committed by Turkish forces and the consequences for gender equality was adopted on Wednesday by the plenary of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

The resolution was approved by 575 votes in favour, 33 against and 43 abstentions. All Cypriot MEPs voted in favour. Rapporteur for the file is Greek MEP, Eleonora Meleti.

The European Parliament condemned in the strongest possible terms the military invasion by the Republic of Turkey and the ongoing illegal occupation of the Republic of Cyprus, which it described as a serious violation of international law and an obstacle to peace, stability and EU-Turkey relations.

The resolution also condemned the consequences of the invasion for the women and girls of Cyprus, including conflict-related sexual violence, other forms of sexual exploitation, forced displacement, the separation of families and other violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law.

The European Parliament stressed that Turkey continues to bear responsibility under international law for violations committed during and after the 1974 invasion, including serious breaches of the Geneva Conventions. It stated that this responsibility entails an obligation to provide full reparation to the victims, including compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-repetition.

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.

Frederick University has been ranked the leading university in Cyprus for the fourth consecutive year in the Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings, according to a Press release by the University on Friday. In the recently announced 2026 edition, it is one of only three universities in Cyprus and Greece to be placed in the highest overall ranking band, 301-400 globally, and the only non-public university to achieve this distinction.

In the same rankings, Frederick University is placed among the top 100-200 universities globally in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Quality Education, Affordable and Clean Energy, Reduced Inequalities, Partnerships for the Goals

In this year’s THE Sustainability Impact Ratings, 1,646 higher education institutions from around the world were evaluated based on their performance and commitment to advancing sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“This recognition highlights the University’s strong global impact through its research, teaching, institutional policies, and engagement with society, reflecting its ongoing commitment to addressing global challenges,” the stateement notes.

Natassa Frederickou, President of the Council of Frederick University, stated that “Frederick University has once again retained its position as the leading university in Cyprus in one of the world’s most significant rankings assessing universities’ contribution to sustainable development.” Professor George Demosthenous, Rector of Frederick University, added that “our outstanding performance in SDG4 – Quality Education confirms our active role in shaping responsible citizens who are capable of acting as genuine agents of change.”

Cyprus has recorded an improvement in its overall performance and a recovery across several indicators in the European Innovation Scoreboard 2026, published by the European Commission on Thursday, 9 July. The annual report assesses the performance of innovation ecosystems across Europe.

Cyprus ranks 16th among the European Union (EU) Member States, moving up one place compared with 2025.

According to the report, Cyprus remains in the “Moderate Innovators” category, but its performance is well above the average for that group, scoring 92.1% compared with the group average of 86.4%. Compared with 2025, the country’s overall score increased by 4.1 points, representing the third-largest annual improvement among EU Member States.

A particularly strong performance was recorded in the “Innovators” dimension, where Cyprus ranked 1st in the EU, a remarkable rise from 15th place in the previous year. This dimension measures the innovation performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), focusing on the introduction of innovative products and business processes.

Cyprus also performed strongly in the “Linkages” dimension, ranking 2nd among EU Member States, up from 10th place in 2025. This dimension evaluates key indicators reflecting collaboration and knowledge diffusion within the innovation ecosystem, including partnerships between innovative SMEs, public-private scientific co-publications, and the mobility of highly skilled science and technology professionals.

The country also continues to demonstrate strong research performance, ranking 5th in the EU in indicators related to international research collaboration and the quality of scientific output. Specifically, Cyprus ranks 3rd in international scientific co-publications and 6th in highly cited scientific publications.

Despite the positive results, the European Innovation Scoreboard 2026 also highlights structural challenges that continue to affect the country’s performance. These include the need to further strengthen investment in Research and Development, particularly private-sector investment-improve businesses’ access to finance and growth capital, and reinforce the country’s production base in medium- and high-technology products.

The Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy stated that it continues to design and implement policies aimed at strengthening Cyprus’ research and innovation ecosystem. These efforts focus on creating more favourable conditions for investment in research, knowledge transfer, business innovation, and the growth of innovative enterprises, while addressing areas where further improvement is needed.

As part of this strategy, several major initiatives are underway, including the development of a new high-performance computing infrastructure in strategic partnership with NVIDIA, the Pharos-CY AI Factory Antenna, and the establishment of a Plug and Play Innovation Centre in Cyprus. These initiatives are expected to enhance the Cypriot innovation ecosystem’s access to advanced artificial intelligence technologies, international innovation networks, acceleration services, and global investment and funding opportunities.

“Research and innovation are fundamental pillars of the country’s development strategy. The continuous improvement of Cyprus’ performance in European innovation indicators is not an end in itself, but part of a systematic effort to build a more competitive, productive and resilient economy that creates greater opportunities for businesses, researchers and citizens,” the Deputy Ministry said in its statement.

The completion of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union marks an important recognition of the growing European role and impact of the Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence (CoE), which played a leading role in supporting the Presidency’s priorities in research, innovation, Earth Observation (EO) and Space Technologies, the Centre says in a press release.

It notes that throughout the six-month Presidency, from 1 January to 30 June 2026, the Eratosthenes CoE of the Cyprus University of Technology, together with the EXCELSIOR Horizon 2020 Teaming Project, organised five high-profile European events, hosted official visits of EU Council preparatory body delegations, and actively contributed to major Presidency initiatives.

The Cyprus Presidency, it says, provided a unique opportunity for the Eratosthenes CoE to showcase Cyprus’s scientific excellence, advanced research infrastructures and growing leadership in EO, Space Technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI), at a time when the country is further strengthening its role within the European space ecosystem as a new Associate Member of the European Space Agency (ESA).

The Presidency also provided an opportunity to demonstrate the tangible impact of European and national investment in transforming Eratosthenes CoE into a recognised European research centre, capable of supporting high-level policy dialogue, scientific excellence, innovation, and international cooperation, it points out.

“Through its contribution to the Presidency programme, the Centre fostered new strategic partnerships, reinforced Cyprus’s position within the European Research Area (ERA), and strengthened its role as a trusted European partner delivering innovative solutions to address global societal and environmental challenges” it concludes.