Coordination and common approaches on key issues was the main objective during her visits to EU member states, Cyprus Deputy Minister for EU Affairs Marilena Raouna told the Cyprus News Agency.
During its EU Presidency the first half of 2026 Cyprus wishes to promote proposals and approaches that will contribute to the progress of the negotiations on the major issues before us, she said.
The Deputy Minister concluded visits to Italy, France and Slovakia where she had bilateral contacts and political consultations.
The discussions focused on the new Multiannual Financial Framework, enlargement, energy prices, housing, water resilience, defence and security, migration and regional developments, with an emphasis on Ukraine and the Middle East.
Raouna described the talks as very constructive, which will contribute to defining the framework for the negotiations that the Cyprus Presidency will undertake.
Cyprus News Agency learned that discussions showed that the Cyprus Presidency and the emphasis it will place on Mediterranean, Middle East and the Gulf region are awaited with particular interest, due to the role that European partners have in the region, but also given that the previous Presidencies put emphasis to Ukraine, with regard to regional developments.
Regarding the Mediterranean aspect of the Cyprus Presidency, Raouna and the French Minister of State for EU affairs discussed specific initiatives that may be undertaken.
Energy developments are a topic that is high on the agenda not only for Italy and France, but also for Slovakia, which is under significant pressure in the energy sector.
In Bratislava, the meetings focused on the EU’s energy supply options and the role of Cyprus, which is expected to be called upon to manage the REPowerEU proposal.
Raouna and her counterparts in the three member states also discussed bilateral relations, Cyprus’ full integration into the Schengen area and the latest developments in the Cyprus problem.
Regarding the Schengen area, 95% of Cyprus’s technical adaptation has been completed and the rest is on track for implementation, with the aim of completing the technical part by the end of 2025.
Full integration will strengthen the EU’s security architecture and there was a public support to this end by Slovak Deputy Minister for Europe, who made a post on X.
Cyprus News Agency has learned that the discussions in the three capitals included the supervision of the aspect of the property issue by the CoE, in the framework of the Fourth Interstate of Cyprus against Turkey. The issue will be examined again at the Council in the coming days, as occupying Turkey is demanding an end to the surveillance. The Deputy Minister informed her counterparts about Cyprus’ positions.
