Cyprus is a strong supporter of EU enlargement governed by the principle of fair and strict conditionality, said the Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Marilena Raouna, at the Informal EU General Affairs Council, held in Warsaw under the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU.
She also noted that international developments further highlight that enlargement is a geopolitical necessity, noting that it will be high on the agenda of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2026.
According to a statement, key issues on the meeting’s agenda were hybrid threats in the enlargement process, the new Multiannual Financial Framework, as well as strengthening the EU’s civilian and military preparedness and readiness, on the basis of the Niinistö report.
In a working breakfast, which was also attended by representatives of candidate and potential candidate countries for EU membership, the issue of hybrid threats was discussed, with Raouna pointing out in her intervention that hybrid threats include the instrumentalisation of migration, energy, demography, culture and religion and exert pressure in the economic, political and diplomatic fields, adding that Member States must act in solidarity and unity to protect their interests and their citizens.
In the ensuing discussion at the level of the 27 Member States on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) after 2027, Raouna said in her intervention that it should reflect the strategic vision and objectives of the Union.
Referring in particular to the aspect of enhancing the EU’s competitiveness, she said that Cyprus strongly supports measures aimed at strengthening SMEs, improving access to finance, promoting innovation and digital transformation, while stressing that Cyprus supports fair access to EU financial instruments, ensuring that smaller economies can benefit equally, indicating that no one should be “left behind”.
She also stressed that Cyprus supports further investment in the defence industry and security through both public and private funding and in a way that benefits all 27 Member States.
In her intervention on EU civilian and military preparedness and readiness, after welcoming the discussion on the Niinistö report, which deals with an integrated approach to EU crisis management and resilience, the Deputy Minister said that Cyprus agrees with the main provisions of the report that improve civil society preparedness and readiness, as well as public-private cooperation. She added that the adoption of a Union Preparedness Strategy and the creation of tools and instruments are essential to strengthen resilience.
The Deputy Minister said that in order to effectively build EU preparedness in the context of the “whole of society approach”, it is vital to focus on strengthening resilience and preparedness at multiple levels through a proactive approach, tailored to the specificities of each Member State, adding that the development of a comprehensive EU General Plan of Action can significantly strengthen social and governmental capacities during emergencies.
She further noted that Cyprus, as a Member State under occupation for more than fifty years, as a result of which the Government does not exercise effective control over 37% of its territory, European territory, has incorporated the “whole of society approach” in its crisis management framework. This integrated approach, she added, was vital to its resilience in the face of crises – from pandemics to natural disasters to geopolitical crisis.