The Cyprus-wide clean-up campaign “Let’s Do It!” 2026 will conclude with a celebration at the Athalassa forest park in Nicosia on Sunday.
The public event will start at 9.30am and will include an organised cleaning campaign around the park with the participation of volunteers, families, students, representatives of public bodies, as well as businesses and sponsors.
According to the announcement, the campaign is Cyprus’ largest environmental and volunteer clean-up campaign and has mobilised more than 350,000 participants since 2012.
Environment commissioner Elias Myrianthous said that the campaign brings together people of all ages every year.
“Their contribution is essential, both in cleaning the areas and in raising awareness in society. The Commissioner’s Office has been firmly at the side of the organisers and volunteers since 2012, supporting the campaign and placing it under its auspices,” he said.
Myrianthous said that uncontrolled dumping and inadequate waste management burden the environment, affect our quality of life and have an economic cost for the country.
“To address this, we also need to look at our consumption habits, what we buy, how much we need and how easily we replace it. We need to limit unnecessary consumption and waste, repair and reuse what can still serve us,” he said.
Meanwhile, forestry department director Savvas Ezekiel said that his department, as the competent body for the protection, management and sustainable development of the forest ecosystems of Cyprus, has consistently supported the campaign, actively contributing to the effort for a cleaner and healthier natural environment.
“Environmental protection is not limited to an individual campaign, but is a collective responsibility and ongoing effort, in which the active participation of citizens is crucial,” he said.
National coordinator of the campaign, Ileana Nicholson, said that “Let’s Do It!” Cyprus was more than a clean-up campaign.
“It is a movement of people choosing to take action, to work together and to protect their place. Behind every clean-up are volunteers, students, teachers, organizations and partners who selflessly offer their time and energy. Without them, none of this would be possible,” she said.
She said that the biggest challenge was not to collect more waste, but to reach a time where volunteers would find less garbage dumped in nature.
“And this can only be achieved through education, consistency and cooperation between the state, businesses and civil society. Change is not the business of a few. It is in the hands of all of us,” she said.
The supreme court on Thursday ruled against an application for a re-trial filed by convicted lifer Theodoros (Doros) Theofanous.
Theofanous, alias ‘the hairdresser’, filed a motion for a re-trial, arguing that material new evidence had come up following his conviction.
According to a statement by the attorney-general’s office, this was the first instance heard by the supreme court since the coming into force of a new law permitting the re-trying of cases when new evidence comes to light.
In October 2012 Theofanous was found guilty of the 2011 premeditated murder of his pregnant partner Yulia Oporok, and the manslaughter of Oporok’s three-year old daughter.
The supreme court had upheld the conviction in April 2015.
Theofanous later sought recourse with the supreme court, seeking a re-trial, claiming that new facts had emerged that questioned the initial conviction.
He cited the fact that one of the prosecution witnesses during the initial criminal trial had in June 2020 recanted a previous sworn statement. According to Theofanous, this person now stated that his testimony before the court had been false and that he was not at the scene of the crime.
Theofanous also cited statements by third parties claiming that another prosecution witness – Antonis Prokopiou Kitas, a convicted rapist and murderer – apparently ‘admitted’ that Theofanous was not the perpetrator of the crime.
All this, his lawyers argued, was sufficient to overturn the evidentiary basis of the conviction. Theofanous therefore asked for a re-trial of his case or, due to the length of time he has already served, an outright acquittal.
The supreme court rejected his motion.
In delivering its judgment, the court said Theofanous had presented no new material facts that would warrant a re-trial. Witnesses recanting or changing their testimony did not count as such.
What may have constituted new material evidence, said the court, would be facts that existed during the initial trial but did not emerge at the time, or material facts emerging after the trial.
Such examples would include evidence pointing to a different perpetrator, the emergence of a material eyewitness, or the discovery of genetic material pertaining to the case.
Theofanous presented no such material, the court said.
As such, he will serve out his sentence at the central prisons.
In September 2024, Theofanous escaped police custody while visiting his father’s home in Choletria, Paphos.
Following the fiasco, President Nikos Christodoulides fired the chief of police, the deputy chief of police and acting director of the central prisons.
A gulf separates employers’ organisations and trade unions on the issue of provident funds and how they should fit into pension reform as a whole, Labour Minister Marinos Mousiouttas said on Thursday.
He was speaking to media after the latest meeting of the labour advisory aboard, which discussed provident funds for the first time.
The minister confirmed that trade unions want provident funds to be prescribed by law so that all private companies offer one, whereas employers insist they should remain voluntary.
In Cyprus, provident funds are based on collective or private agreements between employers and workers. No legislation exists mandating that companies provide a provident fund.
Having heard the two sides’ views on the matter, Mousiouttas said, the government would try to find the ‘sweet spot’.
The next meeting of the labour advisory board is scheduled for Friday, November 9.
The government’s general position, said the minister, is that provident funds “are a necessary institution, which supplements workers’ pensions.
“What we’ll try to do is see how this institution can be expanded.”
Stakeholders also discussed some of the details, such as how provident funds would be cashed out on retirement – whether as a lump sum or in instalments. Another issue is whether it would be possible to borrow from a provident fund, under certain conditions, as is the case today.
However, the minister clarified that sorting out the provident funds question “is not something that will happen today or tomorrow or even next year”.
In order for a provident fund to ‘mature’ and to yield, it takes at least a decade, he added.
Nevertheless, the talks would continue, and once the government brokers an agreement between trade unions and employers, the relevant bill would begin being drafted.
“For sure we will follow European standards,” Mousiouttas said of the future bill.
A provident fund is essentially a private group pension plan that some employers provide for their employees in Cyprus.
Provident fund members invest monthly a fixed percentage of their salary into a common investment pool for their retirement in much the same way as they would with social insurance.
A provident fund is managed by a licensed pension provider. The pension providers are typically either insurance companies or asset management companies.
The operation of a provident fund involves contributions from both the employee and the employer, similar to social insurance contributions. The amounts contributed by each party can either be identical or differ.
The employer usually sets the contribution amount and provides these details in an employment contract.
Employees are generally restricted from accessing their pension funds, before reaching their retirement age or unless their employment is terminated. However, it is permissible for the employee to borrow a portion of their funds.
Meanwhile the main thrust of pension reform – which includes pillars zero and one – is still being worked on by the government.
The draft legislation needs to be vetted by the attorney-general’s office.
Once that is done, said Mousiouttas, he would present the bill to the cabinet. Once the cabinet gives the nod, the bill would be tabled to parliament.
Pillar zero, as it is called, concerns pensions for low-income earners.
Pillar one involves a reworking of the mechanics of the Social Insurance Fund, along with state pensions.
Provident funds and occupational pension schemes fall within pillar two.
The government aims to roll out pillars zero and one of pension reform at the beginning of 2027.
Nicosia municipality and restaurant operator PHC are expected to sign an agreement on Friday for the commercial development of the old GSP square, with a Caffe Nero billed as the largest in Cyprus among the planned outlets.
According to Politis, the deal, once final pending issues are settled, will give the redeveloped site a stable commercial base.
PHC won the concession for five premises after an open tender, the municipality announced in August.
Mayor Charalambos Prountzos told the Cyprus Mail then that the company would have “up to 12 months” to activate the agreement and that he hoped the project would make the former stadium “a destination in Nicosia”.
The concession will initially run for 10 years, with extensions possible up to a maximum of 25.
PHC is the largest restaurant and cafe operator in Cyprus, and its brands include Pizza Hut, KFC, Burger King, Wagamama, Caffè Nero and PAUL.
Politis reports that the Caffe Nero would go beyond a standard coffee shop, with plans including sofas, areas for business meetings, space for small events or seminars and a large outdoor garden.
PHC also plans a wine bar on an elevated part of the square overlooking the public space, while one of the smaller ground floor units is earmarked for a perfume shop.
PAUL, Wagamama and Verde Caferesto are under consideration, and the choice depends mainly on what the building can accommodate and on licensing requirements.
Politis also reports that the municipality aims to reopen a citizen service centre next year, after the closure of the one on Makariou Avenue.
The Cyprus Mail reported in August that the redevelopment would include such a centre, and that it was due to open by next year.
Residents of the walled city have also asked for a pharmacy, as none operates there at present.
The GSP stadium closed in 1999 and was demolished in 2017 to make way for what was originally intended to be a green space in the capital.
Lawmakers on Thursday got pushback from the government on a proposal to de-criminalise the publishing or reproduction of political content on the eve and on the day of elections.
As it stands, the law prohibits political messaging on the eve of, and the day of, elections – on penalty of a prison sentence of up to one year, or a fine up to €5,000, or both.
The aim is to prevent the circulation of content that might influence the outcome of elections.
The matter came to the fore after a number of people – including candidates for MP – were questioned by police over social media posts they made just prior to the parliamentary elections held in May this year.
Akel and Alma have drafted two separate bills aiming to relax the prohibitions and downgrade infractions from a criminal offence – as they are now – to an administrative fine.
Akel proposes that infractions be punishable by a fine of €2,000.
But the attorney-general’s office said this amount was too low, and also posed the issue of the ability to collect on such fines.
Under Akel’s proposal, only paid advertisements and sponsored content would be banned during the so-called ‘silence period’.
Regular people, making comments on social media, would be exempt.
However, the exemption would not apply to individuals designated as Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs).
In Cyprus, a PEP is an individual who holds or has held a prominent public function, along with their family members and close associates. This includes heads of state or government, senior politicians, high-ranking government, judicial, or military officials, senior executives of state-owned enterprises, and important political party officials.
Meanwhile the interior ministry raised other objections. Officials argued it would be extremely difficult to distinguish between spontaneous personal opinions posted online and organised political campaigning, especially when it comes to accounts operating under pseudonyms.
Moreover, criminalising content by PEPs but not by others might pose issues of discriminatory practices.
For this reason, the ministry counter-proposes that the infractions remain a criminal offence on the books, but in practice they would be converted into a fine of at least €5,000 – imposed by the Chief Returning Officer.
In case of repeat infractions, the monetary penalty would be increased.
The House interior affairs committee will continue discussing the issue at a later date.
You read that right! The very first Halloween parade for four-legged guests is on its way! Organised by Glow and Beyond Events, Papaflessa Street in Agioi Omologites in Nicosia will fill with doggos and beyond as pet owners bring their beloved buddies to this unique experience.
The event will take place from 4pm to 6pm on Sunday, November 1, bringing together the animal lovers’ community to celebrate the Halloween spirit of the season.
Pets and their guardians are encouraged to arrive dressed up in their best Halloween costume and get ready for an afternoon of spooky surprises, treats and wholesome gatherings.
“All pets and their humans are welcome,” say the organisers. “Get ready to show off your pet’s Halloween look in Cyprus’ first pet Halloween parade.”
With free entrance and homemade dog treats, this one-of-a-kind event will certainly be a charming afternoon out in the city.
Those curious to explore it and connect with fellow pet lovers are advised to register their pet via the online form.
Halloween Pet Parade
First Halloween parade in Cyprus for pets and their owners. Costumes, treats and spooky surprises. November 1. Papaflessa Street, Agioi Omologites, Nicosia. 4pm-6pm. Free admission. Registrations needed. @gl0wco
The House on Thursday gave the nod to the 2027 budget of the Solidarity Fund, set up to reimburse people whose savings were wiped out in the 2013 financial meltdown.
The budget provides for revenues of €50 million – a direct grant from the government – and anticipated expenditures of €28.7 million.
The fund’s cash reserves, as of January 1 this year, came to €189 million.
Out of the €28.7 million in projected expenditures, €10 million will concern payouts to people who applied for reimbursement as part of the 2025 scheme, but who for one reason or another did not receive the funds.
In addition, the government reiterated its intention to reactivate the online platform for reimbursement applications. This would be done by the end of autumn, giving the opportunity to people who did not apply while the 2025 reimbursement scheme was in effect.
The new applications on the platform will concern a new scheme to be promulgated for fiscal year 2027.
Officials had earlier briefed parliament that during the initial scheme – for fiscal year 2025 – some 9,700 individuals applied. Payments were made to 7,160 people.
The payouts amounted to €71.3 million.
By comparison, total losses incurred by depositors and bondholders during the 2013 bank bail-in come to an estimated €2 billion.
The Solidarity Fund was established in 2018.
The government calls it a ‘partial replenishment scheme’ – avoiding the term ‘compensation’.
Under the 2013 bailout deal between Cyprus and international lenders, uninsured depositors were forced to pay for the recapitalisation of the Bank of Cyprus, heavily exposed to debt-crippled Greece.
As for Laiki Bank, all uninsured deposits there were wiped out, and the lender was wound down and its operations folded into the Bank of Cyprus.
Maccabi Tel Aviv are due to play their EuroLeague home games at the Spyros Kyprianou arena in Limassol, starting with the Tel Aviv derby against Hapoel on November 12.
The move still awaits official confirmation from the club and from the EuroLeague itself, with plans for each game providing for 3,000 tickets for Maccabi supporters, 1,500 for the Cypriot public and 100 for fans of the visiting side; final arrangements for spectators have not been agreed.
Maccabi are still asking the EuroLeague for permission to return to their home ground in Israel. Should Euroleague not yield by January, the game against Panathinaikos on January 7 will also be played in Limassol.
The Cyprus Mail was informed that the EuroLeague was initially against the move to Cyprus due to its sponsorship deal with Turkish Airlines.
According to local media, a Maccabi representative spoke by telephone with one of the deputy police chiefs regarding the team’s presence and the running of the games.
From Monday, a designated police liaison is due to coordinate with the club’s managers at police headquarters level, covering the number of people travelling and their movements.
A video conference with Maccabi officials is planned to settle the details of police cover, and the club is expected to send an official letter within days on fan and team movements.
Maccabi were due to host Real Madrid in Limassol on October 22, but the game was played at the Aleksandar Nikolic Hall in Belgrade, which the club has used as its home court since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023.
Maccabi formally asked Cyprus to host the games in a letter to President Nikos Christodoulides on September 22. Between 12 and 15 home games were expected in Limassol, depending on how far the club progressed.
Police unions have warned that the games would need about 500 officers and called them a “huge additional responsibility” for a force already short of staff.
A police source put the policing cost of all the games at more than €1 million.
Justice Minister Costas Fitiris told MPs on Monday that Cyprus had accepted a request to invoice Maccabi for the policing, although no game had yet been played on the island.
The overall picture regarding the provision of meals to conscripts serving in the National Guard is satisfactory, members of the House audit committee said on Thursday during a discussion of the Audit Office’s special report on the matter.
Presenting the report’s findings, Audit Office director Akis Kikas said that €10 million is allocated annually to feeding National Guard conscripts, describing the meals as satisfactory in terms of quantity and quality, as well as efforts to avoid waste.
“The Audit Office’s assessment is that the food is very satisfactory,” he said.
The audit included unannounced inspections and meal tastings at catering facilities and military kitchens, alongside a questionnaire distributed to 1,100 randomly selected conscripts across Cyprus.
Christina Stefanou, representing the treasury’s public procurement directorate, said catering was introduced on a pilot basis in Larnaca in 2018 and Nicosia in 2019, following a defence ministry tender.
Military kitchens purchase ingredients through a treasury framework agreement, with spending on raw materials amounting to €3.3 million.
Deputy defence ministry permanent secretary Stelios Kountouris described the overall findings as positive, saying several improvements had already been implemented or were underway.
He said an electronic ordering system had been introduced to reduce waste, with encouraging results, while individual dietary requirements were being taken into consideration.
Kountouris also confirmed that the recruitment of professional cooks was underway and had reached the evaluation stage.
A health ministry representative said menus had been prepared in cooperation with clinical dietitians.
National Guard inspector-general Andreas Charalambous welcomed the findings, describing the Audit Office’s observations as manageable and saying implementation of its recommendations had begun.
On food safety, Kountouris said laboratory inspections were conducted by the State General Laboratory and Veterinary Services, while ingredients were checked upon delivery and unsuitable products could be returned.
Concerns were also raised over catering contracts, which run for two years with an option to renew for another two, with suggestions that more frequent tenders could better reflect fluctuations in food prices.
The frequency of meat consumption was also questioned, with calls for dietitians to review whether serving meat up to nine times a week was nutritionally appropriate.
Committee chairman Zacharias Koulias said some minor difficulties had been identified but appeared likely to be resolved.
“I believe we are at a good level despite the findings of the report,” he said, adding that the National Guard was making a considerable effort to ensure soldiers were properly fed.
He also questioned the frequency of meat consumption.
Committee member Nikos Kettiros said considerable improvements had been made in recent years, but further examination was needed into the amount of food discarded daily and why soldiers were not eating it.
“If so much money is being spent, so many quality checks are being carried out, and some soldiers still continue to choose food from outside, this is something we need to address, not to punish the young people serving their country, but to find out why they are not eating the food,” he said.
He also called for the deployment of professional cooks to be reviewed, noting that some military kitchens operated without qualified staff while four professional cooks were assigned to officers’ clubs.
Europe “can no longer take water for granted”, European Oceans Commissioner Costas Kadis said on Thursday, as he attended a conference on the “circular water economy” at the University of Cyprus.
He told the conference that dealing with water scarcity is “emerging as a key strategic priority”, and that “the protection of water resources is an environmental priority, an economic necessity, and a matter of strategic security”.
“The fires, droughts, and phenomena of water scarcity recorded during the summer highlighted the urgent need to strengthen Europe’s resilience, as water is essential for people, for agriculture, for energy, for industry, and for ecosystems,” he said.
He made reference to the new “European Water Initiative”, which was announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her State of the European Union address last month, saying that it will “complement the European water resilience strategy”.
In his, he said, it will aim to “accelerate actions to address water scarcity and climate risks”.
“The effective implementation of European policies requires adequate skills, stronger institutional capacities, and a closer connection between research and practice,” he said, before making reference to the new European Water Academy, launched last month.
According to the commission, the water academy has created a “Europe‑wide portfolio of labelled training and skill‑development programmes for a water-resilient Europe”.
Cyprus has ‘longstanding experience in dealing with water scarcity’
Kadis then referred to Cyprus specifically, saying that the island has “longstanding experience in dealing with water scarcity, water reuse, and desalination”, and that that experience “can be utilised in other coastal areas of the European Union which face similar pressures”.
However, he said, “desalination must operate in tandem with water saving and reuse, based on the principle of prioritising the efficient use of water resources and avoiding significant environmental damage”.
Von der Leyen had said last month that while “we know the risks of water scarcity for our farmers, energy, and supply chains”, “European pipes lose almost one in every four litres [of water], mostly through leakage”.
Details have yet to be added to her announcement of the “European Water Initiative”, but it will likely complement the EU’s existing water resilience strategy, through which the commission has pledged to “restore and protect the water cycle from source to sea” and “adopt water-smart practices and green infrastructure”.
This, it said, will “improve water retention on land, prevent water pollution and tackle pollutants in drinking water”, while it also hopes to “provide guidance on how to reduce water consumption and improve water efficiency in the EU by 10 per cent” by the end of the decade.
Akel will not support bills to bring nurses in from outside the EU unless private hospitals sign collective agreements with their staff, MP Marina Nikolaou told the House health committee on Thursday.
“Since you refuse to implement collective agreements, which could keep wages within certain safe limits, then from us it is ‘no’,” she said.
Nikolaou said her party would reject any government amendment that harmed nurses’ rights or pay.
Committee chairwoman and Disy MP Savia Orphanidou likewise told private hospitals the committee could not see “how we will be able to reconcile the opinions”.
“I do not see how it can proceed without collective agreements, for me this is the red line,” she said.
Disy MP George Pamboridis said hospitals would not find the staff they wanted unless they paid to bring back about 1,300 nurses who have left the profession.
“Collective agreements cannot be imposed by anyone, other than the market, which is shouting at you that you are not paying enough,” he said.
He supported the tougher language requirement and said he disliked “double standards” given what is asked of doctors.
Diko MP Andreas Apostolou said the law cannot force anyone to sign an agreement.
Two bills are before the committee; one raises the standard of Greek required of nurses and midwives, while the other removes a provision that conflicts with other legislation and has blocked nurses and midwives from third countries from applying to join the professional register.
The health ministry wants the Greek requirement raised by two levels, to B1, while the private hospitals’ association (Pasin) wants a rise of one level, to A2, with a review after four years rather than two, citing the difficulty of attaining fluency in Greek.
Its president, Marios Karaiskakis, said a provision for English could also be considered.
He opposed the rule limiting foreign nurses to 10 per cent of a hospital’s nursing staff, calling it a “free gift” given the scale of the shortages.
A representative of the employers’ federation (Oev) proposed that nurses start at A1 and sit A2 exams within two years.
He said private hospitals cannot work at full capacity without more nurses.
“If there were Cypriot nurses available, we would be the first to want them,” he said.
He put the average weighted salary of a nurse in Cyprus at €3,000 a month and rejected claims of poor conditions.
The government plan would permit hospitals to employ some 150 nurses from third countries on two-year licences, which the health ministry has called a “temporary solution”.
Nurses would normally require two years of prior experience and could not work as shift managers.
Not a single worker has arrived in Cyprus under the intergovernmental agreement with Egypt, Labour Minister Marinos Mousiouttas conceded on Thursday, as he urged employers and officials to put the scheme into use to ease shortages in construction.
Speaking to journalists after a session of the labour advisory board, Mousiouttas said that for various reasons “so far we have not managed to have a single arrival”.
He said the agreement needed to be implemented “so as not to leave Cyprus exposed” to labour shortages.
The agreement was widened during a ministerial visit to Egypt last Easter, originally covering livestock farming, and now also takes in construction, tourism, computing and retail.
“Since then, there has been an effort by both us and the representatives of the Egyptian government to start this process,” he said, so that those interested in working in specific professions could be identified.
Requests have already reached the ministry, as the employers’ federation (Oev) and the chamber of commerce (Keve) have sent applications from large companies seeking particular skills, mainly in construction.
Mousiouttas cautioned that the construction shortage “does not depend only on whether workers will come from Egypt or not”.
Both Cyprus and Egypt signed a memorandum of understanding in June 2024, which regulates the entry and residence of Egyptian workers and sets up a joint committee to oversee it.
The building contractors’ association (Oseok) told the Cyprus Mail the memorandum had not been fully utilised by the government, stressing that the industry needed some 5,000 more workers to replenish the stock of labourers leaving under the government’s Syrian repatriation scheme.
The Nicosia criminal court on Thursday approved amendments to charges against eight defendants in the central prisons documents case, increasing the number of digital items allegedly stolen from 421 to 551, while the defence challenged the prosecution’s request to add a police officer to its witness list.
The court is expected to announce its decision on the additional witness on November 3.
The amendments concern the sixth and ninth charges, under which the defendants, while serving as public officials, allegedly stole state property from the Prisons Department between October 2022 and April 2025.
According to the revised indictment, the alleged theft involved 551 items, including optical discs, floppy disks and USB storage devices, which were reportedly removed from the central prisons and taken to the home of the third defendant.
All eight defendants were formally charged again following the amendments and pleaded not guilty.
Senior State Counsel Vasilis Bissas said the changes were intended to bring the details of the indictment into line with the prosecution’s evidence. He clarified that they did not involve additional evidence being disclosed to the defence, but concerned items containing digital material.
He argued that, as proceedings were still at an early stage, the amendments would not prejudice the defendants’ rights.
Lawyer Christos Triantafyllides, representing the first defendant, former central prisons director Anna Aristotelous, did not object to the amendments but described the prosecution’s approach as an abuse of process.
The second defendant, former deputy director Athena Demetriou, objected, arguing that her rights were being violated and pointing to repeated changes in the number of documents involved in the case.
The remaining defence lawyers raised no objections.
The court approved the amendments, taking into account the early stage of proceedings, the nature of the changes and the fact that the evidence itself remained unchanged and was available for inspection by the defence at any time.
Following the ruling, Bissas submitted a notice seeking to add a police officer to the prosecution’s witness list.
He said the officer would testify for formal purposes concerning exhibits discovered during a search of the third defendant’s home, which had been collected by police and remained in their custody.
According to the prosecution, the relevant evidence had been disclosed to the defence long ago, and adding the witness would neither affect the proceedings nor prejudice the defendants’ rights.
However, defence lawyers representing seven of the eight defendants objected, with only the fifth defendant’s lawyer raising no objection.
Triantafyllides argued that, under established case law, a witness added to the prosecution’s list must have involvement in substantive matters relating to the case and therefore could not simply be described as a formal witness.
He referred to correspondence between the prosecution and defence, including an email dated October 15, 2026, in which prosecutors indicated their intention to call a police officer whose identity had not yet been established.
A subsequent email on October 22 identified the officer but stated that his witness statement was not yet available and would be prepared after he received the exhibits, before being disclosed to the defence.
According to Triantafyllides, the officer’s statement was taken on Thursday.
“So this formal witness has such extensive involvement in substantive matters that he only received the exhibits today,” he said, challenging the prosecution’s description of the testimony as merely procedural.
Demetriou adopted Triantafyllides’ arguments, claiming that the addition violated her rights and the principle of equality of arms.
She argued that the officer’s testimony could not be considered formal because it concerned the very objects at the centre of the charges. She also questioned the legality of their seizure and the chain of custody.
Chloe Constantinou, representing the third defendant, also supported Triantafyllides’ position, pointing out that the police officer had no previous involvement in the investigation.
The court adjourned proceedings until November 3 at 9.30am, when it is expected to rule on whether the additional prosecution witness will be permitted.
Cyprus can play a “very significant role” in a future peace process between Palestinians and Israelis, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday, as he attended a working lunch held at Cyprus’ presidential palace.
“You can play a very significant role. I will not dwell on the excellent relationship which exists between the Palestinian people and the Cypriot people and the Republic of Cyprus, but you also maintain excellent relations, and rightly so, with Israel,” he said.
As such, he said, “you can play a role in mediating between the two sides, based on a political solution rooted in international legitimacy and United Nations security council resolutions”.
Regarding relations between Palestine and Cyprus, he said that “the Palestinian people not only sense their geographical proximity to the Cypriot people, but also perceive a genuine warmth, an existential, human bond, with them”.
He then referred to wider recognition being offered to the Palestinian state by other countries in Europe in recent years, saying that “for some time now, there have been significant developments regarding the European position on the Palestinian issue”.
“By way of example, Spain, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands have expressed positions which are nearly identical to the Palestinian stance. This is particularly gratifying for us, as Europe, in general, can play a vital role in reaching a settlement and establishing peace in the region,” he said.
Cyprus ‘conveys concerns of states in region to Europe’
A greater European role in matters, he added, “would benefit all the countries in the region”.
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, meanwhile, said that “the Republic of Cyprus stands ready to play any role you deem appropriate in fostering cooperation within our region”, and that “this is precisely what we strive to achieve through our foreign policy”.
“At the same time, as a European Union member state in this region, we convey the concerns of states in the region to Europe, while simultaneously representing the European Union within the region. We are pleased that this role we have undertaken has been recognised by other member states, as well as by EU institutions,” he said.
He added that “we cannot change geography” and said that for this reason “we must all work together, based on a positive agenda and a positive approach, to achieve our common goals.”
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday offered his “warm thanks” to the Republic of Cyprus for the country’s “humanitarian and political support for the Palestinian people”, as he arrived in Nicosia to meet Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.
He made reference to the fact that the Republic of Cyprus has recognised Palestinian statehood since 1988, a move which he said “reflects the Republic of Cyprus’ position of solidarity for the rights of the Palestinian people”.
“I believe that the relation between Palestine and the Republic of Cyprus dates back to well before 1988, when there were very close relations between Cyprus and Palestine,” he said.
He then added that he wished to “stress in front of the whole world our warm thanks to the Republic of Cyprus for its humanitarian and political support for the Palestinian people and the Palestinian problem”.
“We are interested in the security of the region, and we are also interested in the security of Israelis. We do not want military friction and conflicts, and we want to solve the problem on the basis of the [United Nations] security council, based on international law, to the benefit of the whole region,” he said.
‘We are in favour of peaceful, popular resistance’
On this front, he stressed that “we have adopted a slogan which we are not embarrassed to say loud and clear, that we are in favour of peaceful, popular resistance which expresses the protest of the Palestinian people in cases where the rights of the Palestinian people are violated”.
He added during a planned one-on-one meeting with Christodoulides, “we will have an extensive opportunity to exchange views on the situation, and on the extent to which the Palestinian people is suffering, whether that is related to the Gaza strip, or the West Bank, or East Jerusalem, which is the legal capital of the Palestinian state, based on international resolutions”.
“For many years, we have been extending an olive branch to the Israeli side, so as to reach a settlement and for peace to prevail, not only directly between Israel and Palestine, but also between Israel and the neighbouring Arab nations, to the benefit of the entire region and world,” he said.
He also made reference to this week’s Israeli elections, saying that “we are still awaiting the final results and the final form of the Israeli government” which will be formed thereafter, but that “as soon as it is formed, we are willing to discuss with them the matter of peace”.
“When [the new Israeli government] is formed, your supporting role, given that you have such good intentions and that you are a neighbouring country, a neighbouring friendly country, will be to work towards a peaceful discussion which will have tangible positive results,” he said.
Christodoulides: Our position on the Palestinian issue is clear
Christodoulides, meanwhile, said of the Republic of Cyprus’ recognition of Palestinian statehood that “our position regarding the resolution of the Palestinian issue is clear, based on the agreed framework of United Nations resolutions”.
“At the same time, current circumstances highlight both the importance we place on our bilateral relations and our commitment to fostering conditions of security and stability in our region,” he said.
He also made reference to the humanitarian aid Cyprus sends towards Palestine and the training offered to Palestinian emergency workers at Larnaca’s Cyclops centre, before returning to the issue of geopolitics.
“Your visit takes place at a critical juncture for our region. I look forward to our discussion and exchange of views, as we explore how we can work together, through a positive approach, to foster conditions of security and stability in the region,” he said.
In this, he stressed that “the Republic of Cyprus is part of the solution to the problems in the region” and “not part of the problems”.
“We are constantly working within this positive framework, and, naturally, we remain at the disposal of Palestine, ready to play whatever role they deem necessary for the Republic of Cyprus to fulfil, so as to achieve our common goals,” he said.
Cyprus recorded a preschool education participation rate of 89.2 per cent in 2024 among children aged three to the start of compulsory primary education, according to figures published by Eurostat on Thursday.
The rate was below the EU average of 94.4 per cent and the European target of 96 per cent participation by 2030.
According to Eurostat, almost half of the EU regions for which data were available had already reached the 96 per cent target.
Of the 198 Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) 2 regions with available data, 99 had achieved or exceeded the target.
These regions were mainly concentrated in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Portugal and Sweden, where more than half of the regions had reached the target. Luxembourg had also achieved the 96 per cent participation rate.
Eurostat identified 20 EU regions where virtually all children aged three to the start of compulsory primary education participated in preschool education.
Almost half of these were in France, which accounted for nine regions, while another five were in Belgium.
Five capital or metropolitan regions also recorded full participation of 100 per cent: the Brussels-Capital Region in Belgium, Île-de-France in France, Zagreb in Croatia, Budapest in Hungary and the Warsaw metropolitan area in Poland.
A participation rate of 100 per cent was also recorded in Portugal’s Centro region and in the German regions of Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Only 17.9 per cent of secondary education students in Cyprus are enrolled in vocational education programmes, compared with an EU average of 52.4 per cent, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Thursday, highlighting the need to make technical and vocational training more attractive to young people.
In an address at the opening of the ninth National Skills Competition, SkillsCyprus 2026, at the State Fair in Nicosia, read on his behalf by Labour Minister Marinos Mousiouttas, Christodoulides said Cyprus continued to lag behind other EU member states in participation in technical and vocational education.
Citing the European Commission’s latest country-specific recommendations, he said that while Cyprus remained among the EU’s fastest-growing economies, challenges persisted in productivity, innovation and skills development.
The Commission had highlighted the need to address labour shortages and improve employment quality by increasing the participation of vulnerable groups in the labour market and expanding the capacity and attractiveness of vocational education and training.
“Skills competitions aim to contribute precisely in this direction,” Christodoulides said, adding that they helped demonstrate the “excellent prospects for career advancement and professional recognition” offered by technical and vocational fields.
He also referred to the establishment of the Technical Gymnasium, describing it as “an innovation that constitutes a milestone in the Cypriot educational landscape”.
The institution has already expanded since its introduction, he said, demonstrating both the gap created by the previous absence of such a specialised school and the preferences of students.
Christodoulides emphasised the importance of developing digital, green and entrepreneurial skills to prepare young people for the demands of the modern labour market.
Addressing the impact of artificial intelligence, he said technical and vocational occupations involving practical work, judgement, adaptability and problem-solving would not be easily automated.
“Technology will transform many of these jobs, but it will also increase the need for people with modern technical skills who can make use of new tools,” he said.
This, he added, was another reason to encourage young people to seriously consider technical and vocational education as a career path offering meaningful employment prospects.
The president also referred to government reforms, including the introduction of a new system for evaluating teachers and educational work, as well as tax reform, which he said would leave households with more disposable income and support young families and families with university students.
He placed particular emphasis on pension reform, which he said was entering its final stages and had three principal objectives: improving pension adequacy, particularly for low-income pensioners, ensuring fairness in the distribution of contributions and benefits, and safeguarding the system’s sustainability for future generations.
“It is, in essence, a social contract between generations, which we must strengthen today so that we can pass it on securely to our children,” he said.
Christodoulides linked investment in young people’s skills to stronger productivity, competitiveness, economic resilience and social cohesion.
“Internal strength, however, is not built only through numbers and equipment. It is built primarily through people, through the knowledge, skills and talent of our young people,” he said, adding that “every investment in the younger generation is an investment in our country itself”.
Referring to the competition’s international dimension, he said cooperation with European skills development organisations, including those from Greece, Slovenia, Croatia and Poland, reflected the government’s emphasis on international engagement and European cooperation.
Competition expands to 18 skills categories
Cyprus Productivity Centre deputy director Nikos Philippou said this year’s competition had been upgraded, with the number of skills categories increasing from 12 in 2024 to 18 in 2026.
Around 20 interactive “Try a Skill” stations have been established at the venue, allowing visitors to test their abilities in different technical and vocational fields.
The event will also feature presentations by professionals who have distinguished themselves in their respective sectors, while scholarships and prizes have been secured for competitors and visitors.
These include two full scholarships from the School of Automotive Engineering and 15 scholarships worth between €2,000 and €4,000 from Frederick University.
Philippou said the competition was also introducing a volunteering programme for the first time, with approximately 25 volunteers assisting with student tours and interactive activities.
He highlighted Cyprus’ success at the EuroSkills 2025 European competition, where the Cypriot delegation won a bronze medal in the team entrepreneurship competition.
Three-day event at State Fair
SkillsCyprus 2026 runs from October 29 to 31 at the State Fair in Nicosia, with young participants competing across 18 technical and vocational specialisations.
Organised by the Cyprus Productivity Centre, a department of the labour ministry, the competition aims to promote technical and vocational education, showcase young people’s skills and encourage them to pursue vocational careers.
Successful competitors will have the opportunity to join a preparation programme with the prospect of representing Cyprus at EuroSkills 2027, scheduled to take place in Düsseldorf, Germany, from September 22 to 26, 2027.
The competition is open to the public.
The Cyprus News Agency is among the event’s media sponsors.
A crane truck broke down on the Larnaca to Nicosia highway on Thursday, partially blocking the left lane about one kilometre from the Rizoelia roundabout towards Nicosia, during heavy rainfall.
The vehicle was immobilised in the emergency lane and part of the left lane, with police officers at the scene working to move it.
Heavy rainfall across Cyprus is also affecting road conditions, with reduced visibility and water accumulating on roads, making surfaces slippery.
Police have urged motorists to drive carefully, reduce their speed and remain alert to changing conditions.
The situation may change as weather conditions develop, police said, adding that the update reflected road conditions at 12.15pm.
The forestry department has urged hunters to take precautions against wildfires as the hunting season opens on Sunday.
Despite recent rainfall in several forest areas, the risk of fires remains high, the department said, warning hunters against lighting fires in unauthorised areas or discarding cigarette butts and lit matches.
It said wildfires in recent years had destroyed large areas of forest and countryside, damaging important habitats for game and other wildlife.
Hunters are also urged not to leave rubbish behind and to collect spent cartridges, which the department said cause serious pollution and are prohibited under wildlife protection legislation.
Anyone who spots smoke or fire in or near a forest should immediately contact the nearest forest station or call 1407 for the forestry department or 112 for the fire brigade.
Both numbers can be called free of charge. The department stressed that protecting forests and wildlife is a shared responsibility.
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