Güney Kıbrıs Announced That It Successfully Completed Its EU Council Presidency

Güney Kıbrıs reinforced its effectiveness and diplomatic weight on the European stage by completing its European Union Council Presidency. Minister of European Affairs Marilena Raouna presented a comprehensive assessment of the presidency term at a press conference she held. She emphasized that Kıbrıs played an active role in the European integration process by building strong relationships of trust with each EU member and institution. She stated that this period represented one of the most important milestones in the country's European Union journey. She also added that the institutional knowledge and experience gained formed a valuable foundation for future diplomatic moves.

Focusing on the operational successes of the presidency, Minister Raouna announced that the Kıbrıs team successfully concluded 27 out of the 32 files they undertook. This rate indicated a 84 percent success rate for the task, revealing how decisively and effectively the team worked. In the political trilogue negotiations conducted with the EU Parliament and Commission, 41 general approaches and 22 Council Conclusion agreements were reached. Additionally, while ten simplification proposals were completed, new negotiation mandates were obtained for four different files. It was noted that even the highly technical and politically sensitive files that had been experiencing a bottleneck for over On yıldan uzun bir süredir were resolved during this process.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Kostantinos Kombos, in his speech, pointed out that the presidency took place in a highly unstable environment marked by international crises and multiple global challenges. He stated that despite these challenging conditions, the Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti ceased to be a passive spectator and became an active player in the field. Kombos expressed that the resilience and adaptability demonstrated by Kıbrıs were met with appreciation by other member states and third countries. He noted that one of the primary objectives of the country's foreign policy compass was to expand its sphere of diplomatic influence. In this context, he emphasized that strengthening relations with regional countries and focusing on the importance of maritime transport were among the critical success factors.

During its presidency, Kıbrıs made a name for itself in the European continent not only at the table but also with field activities. A true diplomacy festival was created by organizing more than 230 events across Özgür Kıbrıs with the presence of 25 bin participants. Among these events, the Informal Summit at leaders' level, held in Nisan ayında and hosted by Kıbrıs for the first time, held great importance. Additionally, high-level meetings such as the visit of the European Commission Members, the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament, and the Kıbrıs ve Komşu Bölge Ülkeleri Konferansı were successfully organized. Within the scope of Together culture programs, events were held with the participation of over 500 artists in 31 different countries, and the country's cultural heritage was introduced to the entire continent through diplomatic missions.

Kıbrıs's presidency term also stood out by assuming the role of a bridge between Europe and the Middle East, utilizing the advantages of its regional geopolitical position. Thanks to the visits organized to the Yeşil Hat, leaders of EU institutions and foreign officials had the opportunity to observe the Kıbrıs sorununu and the island's division on the ground. Raouna specifically emphasized that Kıbrıs acted as a true mediator, operating impartially, transparently, and in line with the common interests of the EU. She stated that they represented all 27 member states equally and thereby gained the full confidence of EU partners. She gave the message that even though the presidency term has ended, Kıbrıs's strong voice and effective diplomatic position on the European stage will continue uninterrupted from now on.