The visit of the Bureau of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) to Nicosia on 18 and 19 November marks the beginning of the final phase towards the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2026, as it is the first institutional meeting to take place in Cyprus in preparation for the six-month Presidency, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said.
Speaking during a press briefing at the Press and Information Office ον 18 November, the Spokesperson said that the proceedings will take place at the Presidential Palace and that the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, will deliver a speech, "effectively kicking off institutional events that will precede the official handover on 1 January, 2026, i.e. in 43 days."
The work programme began on the afternoon of Tuesday, 18 November with an extended meeting and the convening of three working groups. On Wednesday, 19 November, the 743rd plenary session of the EESC Bureau will be held.
As the Spokesperson said, the proceedings will be opened by the President of the Commission, Seamus Boland, followed by a speech by the President of the Republic. Next, the Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Marilena Raouna, will present the main priorities of the upcoming Cyprus Presidency, highlighting the framework of policy objectives, the timetable, and the key issues that the Republic of Cyprus will promote.
The Spokesperson noted that this first institutional activity to be held in Nicosia effectively marks the beginning of the journey that will lead the country to its great institutional mission within the Union, "a journey that we approach with a high sense of responsibility, pride, and dedication, but also with a deep awareness that it is not only a national mission but also a European service."
He added that this journey has been prepared methodically, with professionalism, collective work, and unwavering faith in the European project and the role that the Republic of Cyprus can play in it.
(Source: CNA)
