Cyprus’ defence industry is ‘very promising’ and we want to strengthen it even further, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Friday.
Speaking to journalists after the ceremony of awarding the green beret to the 2025 National Guardsmen and asked to comment on the event, he said: ‘We feel nothing but pride for the new commandos, pride for the National Guard, for the officers, the privates of the National Guard.’
He reiterated that, in addition to the ongoing Turkish occupation, the fact that Cyprus is in an area of particular geostrategic importance, and a member state of the European Union, ‘strengthening the Republic of Cyprus’ deterrence with actions and not words, is a top priority of our government’.
It was precisely within this framework that the Council of Ministers approved on Thursday the list armament programmes within the framework of the EU SAFE Regulation, which amounts to almost pound 1.2 billion, he said. He added that it is within the same framework, ‘that we are in advanced consultations with the United States to take advantage of the opportunity they have given us with the decision to include the Republic of Cyprus in United States defence programmes’, and that it is within this framework ‘that we are upgrading our infrastructure in Paphos and Limassol’.
He said that ‘there is an important dimension’ as regards SAFE, noting that it also concerns Cypriot companies that can meet the needs of the National Guard, and that, with regard to potential purchases from third EU countries, following a decision of the Council of Ministers, the participation of at least by 15% of Cypriot companies will be included in the agreement clause.
‘There is a very promising Cypriot defence industry, which we want to strengthen even further’ the President said.