Costa to visit Cyprus tomorrow for talks on EU budget, Cyprus problem

Politics Cyprus problemeuNikos ChristodoulidesTop News Costa to visit Cyprus tomorrow for talks on EU budget, Cyprus problem Costa To Visit Cyprus Tomorrow For Talks On Eu Budget, Cyprus Problem Relevant News Costa to visit Cyprus tomorrow for talks on EU budget, Cyprus problem 3 September 2026 Water pipes damaged on Paphos-Limassol highway after collision 3 September 2026 Body found in occupied Kyrenia catamaran disaster identified as missing man 3 September 2026 Newsroom 3 September 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber European Council President António Costa will visit Cyprus tomorrow, Friday, September 4, as part of a tour of EU member state capitals, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said. Speaking to journalists during his briefing at the Presidential Palace, Letymbiotis said Costa would arrive at the Palace tomorrow morning for a private meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides, followed by expanded talks. The two leaders are due to make statements to the media at 10:35am. Letymbiotis said the visit came at a particularly important time for the EU and at a critical juncture for efforts to resume substantive negotiations on the Cyprus problem. He said talks would focus mainly on the EU’s new Multiannual Financial Framework, the bloc’s budget for 2028-2034. Substantial progress was made during Cyprus’s EU presidency, he said, laying the groundwork for the final phase of political negotiations, with the aim of reaching agreement by the end of 2026. He said Cyprus was approaching tomorrow’s talks with specific national positions and clear demands, seeking an ambitious and fair European budget that addresses new challenges such as security and competitiveness, recognises the particular needs of small island states, and substantially supports growth and social cohesion. He said particular importance was attached to protecting national allocations for Cohesion Policy, the Common Agricultural Policy and migration. Letymbiotis said the talks would also cover EU enlargement, competitiveness, migration, and developments in Ukraine, the Middle East and the Gulf. He said the Cyprus problem would form a distinct chapter of the discussions, with Christodoulides briefing Costa on the latest developments, efforts to resume substantive negotiations, the recent visit of the United Nations Secretary-General to Cyprus, and increased European involvement, including the role of European Commission Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto as EU Special Representative for the Cyprus problem. “The process is conducted under the auspices of the United Nations, and the European Union can act in a supportive and catalytic role,” Letymbiotis said, adding that the EU could draw on its political weight and the tools and incentives at its disposal. He said further progress in EU-Turkey relations could help give Turkey the means to contribute substantively to resuming negotiations and resolving the Cyprus problem, always within the framework of United Nations Security Council resolutions. He reiterated that Cyprus is an EU member state and that a reunified Cyprus would remain one, meaning any solution must ensure a functional European state fully compatible with the EU’s acquis, principles and values. He said tomorrow’s meeting offered a further opportunity for substantive dialogue on major European issues as well as matters of particular importance to Cyprus. Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Water pipes damaged on Paphos-Limassol highway after collision Body found in occupied Kyrenia catamaran disaster identified as missing man AKEL presses Finance Minister with eight questions on GSI costs Bill would cut power, water to force owners to fix dangerous buildings Will Annita give them a break, or another haircut? Why won’t people read a book before judging it? Sea pollution drags on as agencies pass the buck Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.