Nicosia: Cyprus EU Presidency during the first half of 2026 is an opportunity to show what it means to be a divided EU member state under occupation, Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Marilena Raouna, said on Friday. She further highlighted the significance of relying on the EU as a unifying power for the island’s reunification and emphasized Cyprus’ geostrategic role in a complex region with many developments.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Raouna delivered a speech at an event organized by the Office of the Commissioner for State Aid Control, in anticipation of the upcoming Cyprus EU Presidency. She discussed the meetings and conferences Cyprus will host and the 330 legislative files it will negotiate. Raouna described this as both an enormous challenge and a significant opportunity for the Republic, asserting that assuming the Presidency is a national mission.
Raouna emphasized the role of the Office of the Commissioner for State Aid Control in the context of the Presidency, highlighting its importance in the correct application and interpretation of European rules, particularly in competition policy and state aid. She mentioned the negotiation of the General Block Exemption Regulation and addressed the urgent social challenge of housing, which affects millions within the EU. The revision of this regulation is expected to allow member states greater flexibility and efficiency in addressing this issue via state aid.
The Office is tasked with a decisive role, as it will chair the Competition Working Group on state aid issues. State Aid Control Commissioner Stella Michailidou noted the national importance of assuming the EU Presidency and emphasized the significance of a coherent national policy in the field of state aid for the Member States. She also stressed the need for cooperation and coordination with other state authorities.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, following Turkey’s invasion and occupation of its northern third. Despite repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks, a resolution has not yet been achieved. The most recent negotiations, held in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, ended without a conclusive result. An informal meeting regarding Cyprus under the UN aegis took place in Geneva last March, with a new informal meeting scheduled in New York on July 16-17.