Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus remains “unapologetically European” and is working to strengthen European autonomy and key priorities while staying resilient amid regional crises, Deputy Minister for European Affairs Marilena Raouna said on Friday.
Europe Day event at EU House
Raouna made the remarks at an event at EU House in Nicosia marking Europe Day, where European officials reaffirmed their support for Cyprus and reiterated their commitment to the island’s reunification in line with UN resolutions and EU law.
Cyprus and the EU presidency
Raouna said Cyprus was now more than halfway through its EU presidency.
“For six months – 181 days – Europe’s heart beats from its southeasternmost member state, its last member state under occupation. And from this corner of our Union, Europe beats loudly, because Cyprus carries a deeply European soul. It stands deeply and proudly pro-European,” she said.
Foreign policy and the presidency’s motto
Raouna said that at a time of “heightened tension and uncertainty”, Cyprus’ foreign policy remained firmly western and “unapologetically European”.
“We have been working – both prior and during the Presidency – with the conviction that there are no limits to what Cyprus and Cypriots can achieve. As a country that has consistently exerted an effort to punch above its weight and beyond its literal geographical footprint. And this is precisely why the vision of the Cyprus Presidency, encapsulated in our motto, ‘ An Autonomous Union, Open to the World’, is not only timely, but increasingly necessary in today’s geopolitical environment,” she said.
European autonomy and regional security
According to Raouna, Cyprus has the opportunity to give “real substance” to European autonomy, not as a theoretical aspiration but as “the next necessary step of European integration”.
She also referred to council meetings held in Cyprus, during which leaders discussed the regional crisis and broader security concerns.
“This is our neighbourhood, it is the EU’s neighbourhood, and it is vital for European stability, security and competitiveness,” she said, adding that Cyprus’ role as a “bridge-builder and enabler of stability” had been warmly acknowledged by regional partners.
Reunification and European integration
Raouna said European integration would “never truly be complete” until Cyprus is reunified.
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