Category: Cyprus News Agency

Minister of Defence, Vasilis Palmas, met with the Adjutant General of the New Jersey National Guard, Brigadier General Yvonne L. Mays, at his office on Friday.

Palmas said in a post on “X” that during the meeting, an assessment of the progress achieved within the framework of the State Partnership Programme (SPP), through which a formal collaboration between the Republic of Cyprus and the State of New Jersey is ongoing, was made, and prospects for further expansion of the Programme into other areas were explored.

He also noted that he expressed the Ministry of Defence’s gratitude for the overall contribution of the New Jersey National Guard, as well as for the significant role it plays in enhancing the capabilities of the Cypriot National Guard, and confirmed the commitment to continue and further strengthen the cooperation within the framework of the SPP.

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

MEETING DATE: 18/09/2026

INDICES BASE VALUES: FTSEMed=5000, OTHERS = 1000

EURO (pound )

TRADED VALUE 363.099,30

INDEX

VALUE

%DIFF.

VALUE

FTSE/CySE 20

185,090

-0,850

362.495,260

MAIN MARKET INDEX

246,450

-1,120

349.665,030

INVESTMENT COMPANIES MARKET INDEX

2.701,660

-0,350

63.271,500

CSE GENERAL INDEX

315,020

-0,850

362.607,100

HOTELS INDEX

1.945,750

0,380

3.433,660

ALTERNATIVE MARKET INDEX

2.122,760

-0,120

13.434,270

The multinational exercise “MEDUSA-15/2026”, which began September 10 in the sea area of Crete, with the participation of aeronautical assets and Special Operations Units from Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, France and Italy, was concluded on Friday 18 of September.

According to a press release by the National Guard, Cyprus participated in the exercise with the High Seas Ship “IOANNIDIS” of the Naval Command, an AW-139 helicopter of the Air Command and a Special Operations Team of the Underwater Disaster Unit.

The final phase of the exercise was conducted on Friday and was monitored aboard the Greek Navy Frigate “PSARA” by Chief of the National Guard, Lieutenant General Emmanuel Theodorou, Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, General Dimitrios Houpis and Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Ahmed Fathy Ibrahim Khalifa.

During the exercise, operational scenarios were executed, which included, among others, combined landing action, as well as simulated air attacks by attack helicopters and fighter aircraft.

According to the press release, the objective of the “MEDUSA” exercise is to upgrade interoperability and cooperation between the Armed Forces of the participating countries, at an operational and tactical level.

Air travel accounted for 25.3% of total passenger-kilometres in Cyprus in 2024, the third-highest share among EU Member States, according to data published by Eurostat on Friday. Higher shares were recorded only in Croatia, where air travel accounted for 45.6% of total passenger-kilometres, and Bulgaria, at 30.3%.

Across the EU as a whole, cars remained the main mode of passenger transport in 2024, accounting for 69.2% of total passenger-kilometres, which were estimated at 6.130 trillion. The share of car travel decreased by 1 percentage point compared with 2023, according to Eurostat.

Air travel accounted for 15.8% of the total, up by 1 percentage point year-on-year. Rail travel followed at 7.5%, an increase of 0.3 percentage points, while buses, coaches and trolleybuses accounted for 7.3%, down by 0.2 percentage points. Sea travel remained unchanged at 0.4%.

Eurostat noted that the share of rail travel has been gradually increasing in recent years and, in 2024, exceeded the corresponding share of buses, coaches and trolleybuses for the first time since 2014.

Digital health is entering a new era in Cyprus with the development of the Integrated Electronic Health Record of the Citizen (IEHRC), which is expected to consolidate essential health information of every citizen into a unified, secure, and interconnected digital environment, participants at the 9th Cyprus Health Conference heard on Thursday in Nicosia.

The President of the National Authority for Electronic Health (NAEH), Professor Constantinos S. Pattichis, presented the design and latest developments for the implementation of the IEHRC, highlighting the changes being initiated in the field of digital health.

The new electronic record will function as a single point of data collection for health, including, among others, medical history, prescriptions, laboratory and imaging results, hospitalizations, allergies, and information related to transplants.

The goal is to enhance the continuity of care and facilitate citizens’ access to their health information, while also reducing the need for repeated examinations and the management of scattered medical documents.

Budget amounts to pound 21.1 million

According to the presentation by the President of the NAEH, the total budget for the project amounts to pound 21,110,000, while the overall implementation duration has been estimated at 84 months.

The announcement of the tender for the Feasibility Study is scheduled for September 2026, while full operation of the system is anticipated for December 2029.

Alongside the development of the IEHRC, the myHealth Cyprus application was presented, which is intended to serve as the main digital gateway for citizens to access electronic health services.

The first phase of the application, which extends until December 2026, includes secure identification via CY Login, searching for health service providers and pharmacies on duty, as well as the ability to use a Panic Button for sending immediate notifications.

During the second phase, from October 2026 to December 2027, full integration with the General Health System (GeSY) is expected. Through the application, citizens are anticipated to gain access to their personal medical profile, receive notifications for repeat prescriptions, and manage their personal doctor.

NAEH as Digital Health Authority for EHDS

Of particular importance for Cyprus’ further integration into the European digital health ecosystem is the institutional upgrade of the NAEH.

As mentioned in the presentation, by decision of the Council of Ministers, the NAEH has been designated as the official Digital Health Authority of the Republic of Cyprus for the implementation of the new European Regulation for the European Health Data Space (EHDS).

The European framework aims to create a common health data ecosystem in Europe, enhancing the ability for secure cross-border access and exchange of health data, while also providing for the use of data for research and innovation purposes, with the necessary safeguards.

In this context, Cyprus is already utilising European infrastructures, including MyHealth@EU, which supports cross-border exchange of electronic health services, while preparing for the further development of its capabilities in the European Health Data Space.

At the same time, Cyprus participates in European initiatives and projects in the field of digital health, including the European Digital Vaccination Card (EUVAC) and the eCAN+ oncology care programme, strengthening its participation in European actions for the digital transformation of health.

The development of the IEHRC and the gradual implementation of digital services signify the transition to a more interconnected model of providing and managing health services, with the citizen and the secure management of their health data at the centre.

The need for greater support and protection for Cypriot fishers, who are facing mounting challenges, was pointed out by House President Annita Demetriou during a meeting on Friday with European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis.

‘I consider it very important to see how we can protect our own fishers,’ Demetriou said, stressing that the profession is among those most affected by current challenges and ‘needs a lot of support.’

Demetriou said she had met with fishers on several occasions, both collectively and individually, expressing the hope that ‘something more specific’ to support them would be included in the plan being prepared at EU level.

The meeting took place as the EU prepares its future Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) for the 2028-2034 programming period, alongside negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework.

Kadis said the EU was expected to proceed with a targeted revision of the CFP in the next programming period, following the completion of an evaluation which identified weaknesses in the implementation of the existing policy.

‘Most probably, in the next period we will have a targeted revision that will take into account the weaknesses revealed through the evaluation,’ Kadis said.

He added that feedback from all Member States, including Cyprus, would be taken into account, with the aim of ensuring that fisheries and aquaculture remain ‘viable, competitive and sustainable’ in Cyprus and across the EU.

He noted that the EU is ‘a maritime Union’, with the world’s largest combined exclusive economic zone and more than 70,000 kilometres of coastline, while around 40% of Europe’s population lives close to the sea.

According to a House press release, Demetriou stressed the strategic importance of fisheries and aquaculture for Cyprus as an island state in the Eastern Mediterranean, pointing to the multiple and growing pressures facing the sector. She underlined the need for ‘substantial, effective and targeted European support.’

The Commission completed in April 2026 its evaluation of the implementation of the CFP Regulation for the 2014-2025 period.

The two sides also reaffirmed their intention to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between the House and the European Commission, particularly as work continues on the future CFP and the 2028-2034 EU budget framework.

Eleven Cypriot athletes are ranked among the world’s top 100 in their respective events, according to the latest World Athletics rankings, updated September 15, 2026, the Amateur Athletic Association of Cyprus said.

Iosif Kesidis is the highest-ranked Cypriot, sitting 12th in the hammer throw with 1,225 points. The Mediterranean Games gold medallist and Commonwealth Games silver medallist is also the only Cypriot in the European top 10, ranking ninth.

Elena Kulichenko is ranked 22nd in the high jump with 1,186 points, while Filippa Fotopoulou is 31st in the long jump with 1,202 points. Fotopoulou is also 13th in the European rankings.

Milan Trajkovic is ranked 42nd in the 110-meter hurdles with 1,236 points and 15th in Europe. The Cypriot champion won silver at the Mediterranean Games and bronze at the Commonwealth Games, while equalling the Cyprus record in the event.

Valentina Savva is ranked 61st in the hammer throw with 1,092 points. Petros Michailidis is 66th in the shot put with 1,117 points, while Iosif Michalis Papa holds the same position in the discus throw with 1,090 points.

Styliana Ioannidou is 76th in the high jump with 1,102 points, while Olivia Fotopoulou is 83rd in the 200 meters with 1,159 points. Fotopoulou is also 22nd in the European rankings for the event.

Seventeen-year-old Marina Hadjichosta has broken into the world top 100 for the first time, ranking 93rd in the discus throw with 1,016 points. The Cypriot champion won gold at the European U18 Championships and bronze at the World U20 Championships.

Grigoris Nikolaou is ranked 98th in the triple jump with 1,081 points, with his fourth-place finish at the Mediterranean Games, with a 16.03-meter jump, among his key results.

According to the Amateur Athletic Association of Cyprus, the four athletes ranked in the world top 50, Kesidis, Kulichenko, Fotopoulou and Trajkovic, qualified for the finals of their respective events at the European Championships in Birmingham.

UN Secretary – General’s Special Representative in Cyprus and Head of the UN peacekeeping force on the island (UNFICYP) Khassim Diagne encouraged all those who call Cyprus home to look beyond the divisions of the past and focus on the possibilities of the future, in a statement, on Thursday, on the International Day of Peace on 21 September.

Diagne noted that the UN welcomes the continued engagement of Cypriot leaders, civil society, young people, women and communities across the island in efforts to advance peace and reconciliation, adding that they remain committed to supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Cyprus.

”UNFICYP will continue to carry out its mandate in the service of peace and the people of the island. In Cyprus, the pursuit of peace remains a shared responsibility. For more than six decades, UNFICYP has stood alongside the people of the island, helping to maintain stability, facilitate dialogue and support conditions conducive to a comprehensive settlement,” he noted.

He underlined that peace is a shared commitment to dialogue, mutual respect, cooperation and the belief that differences can be resolved through peaceful means.

“The International Day of Peace offers an opportunity to reflect on progress made, acknowledge remaining challenges and renew our commitment to a peaceful future for all Cypriots. Investing in peace means investing in dialogue, trust and understanding. Every act of cooperation and every effort to bridge divides contributes to a culture of peace,” Diagne said.

He also called on all to use this day “to reaffirm our shared hope for a Cyprus where dialogue prevails over division, cooperation over confrontation, and peace becomes a lasting reality for generations to come.”

“Peace is possible. Let us invest in it together,” he said.

The share of renewable energy sources in net electricity generation in Cyprus stood at 36.80% in June 2026, according to Eurostat data published on Friday, while in July the share fell to 29.98%.

According to Eurostat’s monthly data, during the second quarter of the year the share in Cyprus stood at 34.66% in April, increased to 36.84% in May and remained almost unchanged at 36.80% in June, before falling to 29.98% in July.

Across the EU as a whole, 54.1% of the electricity generated in the second quarter of 2026 came from renewable energy sources, according to Eurostat. The share was marginally lower than the 54.3% recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2025.

Solar energy was the largest source of renewable electricity in the EU during the second quarter, accounting for 41.6% of total electricity generation from renewable sources. The corresponding share stood at 37.0% a year earlier.

The Minister of Energy, Trade and Industry, Michalis Damianos, placed emphasis on supporting new entrepreneurship, start-ups and innovation while speaking on Friday afternoon at a workshop organised by the Pafos Municipal Youth Council at the ‘Attikon’ Cultural Centre.

In his address at the workshop, titled ‘Mapping Cyprus’s Business Ecosystem – Empowering the new generation of entrepreneurs and start-ups’, Damianos referred to the role of young people in shaping Cyprus’ economic future. He also noted that Cyprus has the potential to develop into a modern, dynamic and competitive business hub.

The Minister emphasised that the country’s business ecosystem is evolving rapidly, with the green transition, digitalisation, innovation and outward-looking policies creating new opportunities for the development of business ideas.

He made special reference to the younger generation, noting that they possess the knowledge, skills and creativity required to play a significant role in the business sector.

Damianos stated that the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry, through the grant schemes it implements, promotes new entrepreneurship and fosters innovation, with the aim of equipping young people with the necessary tools to turn their ideas into sustainable business ventures.