Cyprus fully supports the joint effort by the United States, Egypt and Qatar to get both sides of the war in Gaza to meet next week and resume talks on a ceasefire and release of hostages. President Nikos Christodoulides stated on Friday that he, “fully endorses (the statement by) Presidents Joe Biden, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi … Read more
The threats fired against Cyprus this week by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, as far-fetched as they may seem, should not be taken lightly. The Shia cleric and leader of the militant group commands considerable influence in almost everything that happens in Lebanon, from politics to the economy and national defence. Apart from securing vast amounts … Read more
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the U.S.-Cyprus partnership is growing stronger, deeper and broader, and that Cyprus is “an important player in the region and a partnership for the United States that we deeply value.” A bilateral agreement was also signed bringing Cyprus closer to being included in the visa waiver programme for entry … Read more
Voting started at 7am across Cyprus on Sunday, with 698,896 registered voters eligible for the election of six MEPs and local authority posts.Chief returning officer Elikkos Elia confirmed the timely opening of all 1,847 polling stations in the Republic, along with ten stations in Greece. Additional polling stations in Belgium and the UK opened later, … Read more
Fitch has raised the sovereign credit rating for Cyprus by a notch, with the country’s president saying this is a “vote of confidence” and a reward for maintaining a resilient economy. The rating agency said it upgraded Cyprus from ‘BBB’ to ‘BBB+’, which indicate that expectations of default risk are currently low. According to Fitch, … Read more
President Nikos Christodoulides has been briefed about the meeting of the UN secretary general with his personal envoy. The Turkish Minister of Defence, Yasar Guler, made a provocative statement regarding the Turkish troops’ “peace operation” in Cyprus. The Greek Cypriot side is steadfast in requesting the resumption of talks, despite indications that negotiations may not be positive. The UNSG will also meet with Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis to convey specific messages on behalf of the Republic. Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar claimed that peace prevailed on the island in 1974 and that the Turkish Cypriots made significant gains. Turkish Cypriot MPs participated in discussions at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the issue of Varosha, claiming that the 1984 UN Security Council resolution is outdated.
President Nikos Christodoulides received delegations from associations involved in the halloumi making process. The lack of trust was evident during the meeting, which lasted about three and a half hours. The government’s objectives are to preserve halloumi as a PDO and its status as the main export product of Cyprus. The dialogue will continue with new rounds of meetings under the Minister of Agriculture, and decisions will be made soon with these objectives in mind.
A new influx of arrivals will not be allowed by the government in response to mounting criticism over the handling of 27 migrants stranded in the buffer zone. The migrants, including women, children, and unaccompanied minors, are from Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan, and Cameroon. The government’s handling of the matter has been criticized for violating international law. The UNHCR has warned that the asylum seekers are living in tents and exposed to extreme weather without access to decent living conditions.
The initial cost to operate the 30 community clusters resulting from local government reform will reach €3 million, which the government will cover.
Options for Larnaca’s port and marina are being evaluated, with a commitment to inform the public about next steps soon. The Amalthea initiative at the port is currently not operating with cranes, but efforts are being made to increase output. Pay interruptions for employees are being handled by the labour ministry. Both a marina and a port will be the outcome of the project, with a re-evaluation of the types of cargo transported through Larnaca. The possibility of niche specialization for farmers and livestock operators is being considered. The project may involve breaking it down into smaller components and reducing its scale. The restart of the project may take time and changed circumstances must be taken into account. The state’s public works department may take on building roads and pumping stations to speed up the process.