Newsroom
President presses for no hike in electricity prices
President Nikos Christodoulides also revealed that he has privately urged energy authorities to avoid raising electricity prices amid economic concerns.
Confirming media reports, the President said he held a closed-door meeting with the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority (CERA) and the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC), requesting that no increases be introduced, especially at this time. “These are actions we often take away from the spotlight. Publicity doesn’t matter. What matters is the result,” he said. “I hope and wish they will respond positively.”
Cyprus eyes Schengen entry by 2026
Cyprus will join the Schengen Area in 2026, Christodoulides confirmed Sunday, stating that all necessary technical requirements will be completed by the end of 2025.
Speaking at an event in Nicosia honoring Mothers of Large Families, Christodoulides emphasized the strategic importance of Schengen accession for both the Republic of Cyprus and the European Union. He noted that extensive work is underway to meet all obligations, and called the upcoming accession a key national goal. “A massive effort is underway to complete everything that needs to be done by the end of 2025. This will be a strategic development for both Cyprus and the EU,” he said.
The President also emphasized the importance of the European Parliament’s support in the process and expressed optimism following talks with its president. With the upcoming EU Presidency, Christodoulides plans to visit all member states to advocate for Cyprus’s accession, calling Schengen one of the top agenda items. “But first, we must complete our work,” he said, reiterating a campaign promise he said “will be fulfilled.”
New measures target Cyprus's falling birth rate
Addressing one of the country’s most pressing social challenges, Christodoulides announced new measures aimed at reversing Cyprus’s declining birth rate, which currently stands at 1.3%–1.4%. The goal, he said, is to reach 2.1%, the level needed to maintain population replacement every 25 years.
The government has already rolled out two packages of demographic policies, with a third set to be unveiled in early 2026. Measures include adjustments to income criteria for child benefits and efforts to expand support to families with four or more children. Christodoulides described the government’s approach as holistic, aiming to support working mothers through tax reforms and increased access to benefits.
“We are a country facing a very serious demographic problem,” he said. “We must reverse this trend, and we are doing so in close cooperation with the Organization of Large Families.”
In response to questions about recent tragedies, including a fatal airbag incident and the controversial case of Thanasis Nikolaou, Christodoulides said the state must act decisively to prevent similar failures. “The most important thing is for the state to have safeguards in place to prevent such incidents,” he said, adding that he is in ongoing contact with the families affected. Regarding the Takata airbag issue, he said a fact-finding committee is investigating and that he would wait for its findings before commenting further.
“I don’t want to exploit, in any sense, human suffering,” he said. “The state must do everything possible to ensure such incidents are never repeated.”
