Strasbourg, France. Cypriot member of the European Parliament Costas Mavrides on Thursday called on the European Union to adapt its defence capabilities to protect itself against drone warfare. He said recent geopolitical developments, technology and the experience of Ukraine show drones are a defining tool in modern hybrid attacks and conflicts.
Call for strengthened European defence industry
Addressing the Strasbourg chamber, Mavrides said Europe should strengthen its defence industry and bolster its independence from external factors. He said European small and medium-sized businesses are already involved in the sector, including in Cyprus, but called for simplifying processes, facilitating financing, and increasing cooperation between large and small businesses from different member states.
References to drone incidents and Cyprus
Mavrides referred to what he described as recent hostile attacks against member states with drones, citing incursions of unarmed Russian drones into Polish airspace in September last year, which he said were all shot down. He also referenced actions by what he called “occupying Turkey in Cyprus” and said such incidents demonstrated weakness and required the immediate adaptation of the European defence industry to protect borders and citizens.
Reports involving Bayraktar TB2 and Gecitkale (Lefkoniko) airport
His reference to Turkey was linked in the report to the presence of a Turkish Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicle in the skies above Cyprus during heightened tensions between Iran and Israel last summer. The report also cited previous comments by Turkish Cypriot air traffic controllers’ trade union chairman Cem Kapisiz, who said Gecitkale (Lefkoniko) airport on the Mesaoria plain is being used by unarmed aircraft operating in the region for surveillance purposes.
Background on Gecitkale (Lefkoniko) airport
Gecitkale (Lefkoniko) was formally handed over to Turkey’s armed forces in January 2024, having been used for military purposes since 2019. The airport had regular passenger traffic as the north’s primary civilian airport between 2002 and 2004 while Ercan (Tymbou) airport underwent renovations, but later largely remained unused except for recreational aircraft.
How should the European Union prioritise investments to counter drone warfare?
