The President of the European Council, António Costa, arrived at the Presidential Palace, where he is meeting with President Nicos Christodoulides.
Mr. Costa was greeted with a warm embrace by the President of the Republic before the two entered the Presidential Palace to begin their meeting.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
It should be noted that Costa’s visit to Cyprus is part of his tour of the capitals of EU member states.
The Multiannual Financial Framework and the Cyprus issue are also expected to be the focus of the meeting with the President.
The visit is taking place at a particularly important time for the European Union, as well as at a critical juncture for efforts to resume substantive negotiations on the Cyprus issue, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letympiotis said in a briefing to the press yesterday.
“The new Multiannual Financial Framework—that is, the European budget for the period 2028–2034—will be at the center of the talks. During the Cypriot Presidency, substantial progress was made and the groundwork was laid for the final phase of political negotiations, with the aim of reaching an agreement by the end of 2026,” he stated.
At the meeting, the Republic of Cyprus will present specific positions and clear demands, according to the Spokesperson. “We are calling for an ambitious and fair European budget that responds to new challenges, such as security and competitiveness, recognizes the specific needs of small island states, and provides substantial support for development and social cohesion,” he said.
Nicosia attaches particular importance to safeguarding national allocations for Cohesion Policy, the Common Agricultural Policy, and Migration, he added.
The talks will also address European Union enlargement, competitiveness, migration, and developments in Ukraine, the Middle East, and the Gulf.
The Spokesperson also noted that the President of the Republic will brief President Costa on the latest developments, efforts to resume substantive negotiations, the recent visit of the United Nations Secretary-General to Cyprus, and the enhanced European engagement, including the role of EU Special Envoy for Cyprus assumed by European Commission Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fito.
Mr. Letympiotis noted that Friday’s meeting represents yet another opportunity for substantive dialogue on Europe’s major issues and, at the same time, on issues of particular importance to Cyprus.
READ ALSO: European Council President António Costa in Cyprus | AlphaNews
