The new members of the government received their appointments and took over their portfolios from their predecessors following the cabinet reshuffle decided by President Christodoulides.
The swearing-in ceremony concluded around 9:30 a.m. at the Presidential Palace, followed by the handover ceremonies. Specifically, shortly after 10:15 a.m., the handover ceremony took place at the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, while at 11:00 a.m., the ceremony was held at the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Public Works. At 11:45 a.m. at the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Environment, and at 12:30 p.m. at the Deputy Ministry of Culture.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
In his speech during the swearing-in ceremony, the President of the Republic bid farewell to former Minister of Transport Alexis Vafeadis, former Minister of Agriculture Maria Panagiotou, and the former Deputy Minister of Culture.
Addressing the new members of the Cabinet, he emphasized, among other things, that “you are taking over your portfolios with no time to spare and are called upon to adapt immediately to a particularly demanding environment,” presenting “an exhortation, an appeal, a wish, and a demand.”
Read also: The President’s “Farewell”: Alexis, “ready to take a bullet”; the hardworking Maria; and the tireless Lina
In his response during the swearing-in ceremony, the new Minister of Agriculture, Christos Senekis, addressing the President.
Read also: “The Highest Honor and a Heavy Responsibility”: What Senekis Said in His Remarks to the President
“I feel like I’m coming home”
With deep emotion, Klea Papaellina handed over the portfolio of the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare to Tina Pavlou, during the handover ceremony, with Ms. Pavlou explaining the reasons why she accepted her appointment.
“I feel like I’m coming home,” she said, noting that she feels a sense of belonging upon entering the Deputy Ministry. She points out that she experienced firsthand the dedication of the Ministry’s staff, even at midnight.
“With this sense of belonging, I accepted the appointment with great joy and expressed this to the President of the Republic as well, because I want to be here, alongside all those who are striving here, so that together we can build on what has been achieved and stand as long as we can by the side of the Cypriot family, which is suffering and needs us.”
Read also: “I Feel Like I’m Coming Home”: Tina Pavlou Explains Why She Accepted the Appointment
“She has set the bar very high”
In a particularly emotional atmosphere, the handover ceremony took place at the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Public Works, with the new Minister, Evanthia Tsolaki, officially taking over her duties from the outgoing Minister, Alexis Vafeadis.
The new Minister underscored her commitment to continuing the Ministry’s course, stating: “I am taking up the baton and am mindful that I must continue in the same vein.”
“I congratulate him on the way he managed the Ministry’s affairs. I am taking on a very heavy burden; he has set the bar very high,” said Ms. Tsolaki.
Read also: Handover at the Ministry of Transportation: Evanthia Tsolaki Takes the Reins from Alexis Vafeadis
“I am stepping down of my own accord”
With a sense of responsibility and emotion, the handover ceremony took place at the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Environment, with Christos Senekis officially assuming his duties, succeeding Maria Panagiotou.
“It is with great joy that I hand over the keys to the Ministry—keys that do not belong to us, but which we borrow,” said former Minister of Agriculture Maria Panagiotou. She added, “I am stepping down of my own accord after 30 months.”
The new Minister stated that he is assuming his duties with a deep sense of honor and full awareness of the responsibility that his mission entails, noting that the Ministry is on the front lines of crises and challenges. He warmly thanked the outgoing Minister for her work, describing her legacy as “significant and valuable.”
Read also: “I’m leaving by choice,” said Panagiotou as she handed over the Ministry of Agriculture to Christos Senekis
“I took over a newly established Deputy Ministry that was still in the process of being organized and lacked a comprehensive strategic direction,” said outgoing Deputy Minister of Culture Lina Kassianidou.
Along with the portfolio, she presented Klea Papaellina with a book detailing the activities of the Deputy Ministry of Culture. Clea Papaellina takes over the Deputy Ministry of Culture with emotion and a sense of responsibility, as she stated during the handover ceremony, assuring that she will work with transparency and diligence.
