Source: in-cyprus.philenews.com
President Nikos Christodoulides outlined his government’s third-year agenda on Thursday, announcing that tenders for upgrading Cyprus’s naval and air bases will be issued within 2026 whilst emphasising foreign policy and economic growth as his administration’s core strengths.
Speaking at his annual “State of the Union” address, Christodoulides presented over 55 actions across five priority areas, focusing on what he called “measurable results” with direct impact on citizens’ daily lives.
The government will issue tenders this year for upgrading the Evangelos Florakis naval base in Mari and modernising the Andreas Papandreou air base in Paphos, according to Christodoulides. The president also announced plans to complete technical requirements for Cyprus’s full integration into the Schengen Area.
On migration, Christodoulides said irregular arrivals have dropped 85% whilst returns increased beyond 77% under his administration’s policies.
The president highlighted Cyprus’s economic performance, stating that public debt is expected to reach 50.9% in 2026, among the lowest in the EU. The growth rate for 2025 is estimated at 4%, one of the highest in the Eurozone, he said.
After more than 18 years, Cyprus’s labour market shows full employment conditions with youth unemployment significantly reduced, according to Christodoulides.
A pension reform bill will be submitted “for better and more dignified pensions, in a simple, substantial and sustainable way,” Christodoulides said, aiming to strengthen pensioners’ income and narrow the gap between women and men.
The government plans to create a modern supply chain network operating in synergy with the country’s ports and airports, Christodoulides announced.
Central to this effort is developing Special Supply and Storage Zones at Larnaca and Paphos airports, positioning Cyprus as a strategic partner in the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) and strengthening its role as Europe’s gateway to Asian and African markets, he said.
Christodoulides said the government will sign an agreement with Israel for developing and exploiting the Aphrodite gas field, and will sign a commercial agreement for the Cronos and Aphrodite fields.
On foreign policy, Christodoulides emphasised that Cyprus’s international standing is being upgraded through “multidimensional foreign policy with a clear European-Western orientation and without hesitation.”
The government will leverage its EU Council Presidency to deepen regional relations and enhance Brussels engagement, he said.
The president said all policies presented are “costed and implementable,” aimed at strengthening the country’s power factors.
He expressed cautious optimism about ongoing efforts to reunify Cyprus, stating there is “no alternative to reuniting our homeland and our people except through a functional and viable solution.”
The five-priority programme includes 100 new digital services, 258 new affordable housing units through state funding via KOAG, 500 new housing units on state land in partnership with the private sector, and 60 additional all-day primary schools.
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