Pavlos Xanthoulis
Joining the Schengen Area would do more than end border checks for Cypriot citizens traveling within Europe. It would place Cyprus among what is often described as the EU’s ''inner core,'' the group of countries that belong both to the European free-travel zone and the euro area.
At the same time, the move is seen by some as potentially strengthening President Nikos Christodoulides’ political profile ahead of the 2028 presidential elections. This is one reason why the government is pushing for the fastest possible completion of Cyprus’ full participation in Schengen.
According to information obtained by Kathimerini Cyprus, Nicosia is aiming to secure a political decision from the EU Council through accelerated procedures, with the government pointing to the “positive assessments” Cyprus has received from the European Commission and the green light given at a technical level.
After four years of technical discussions, Cyprus has completed 120 recommendations required for Schengen readiness.
However, the island’s “special circumstances," as described by the EU itself, remain a key challenge. These include the continued Turkish occupation of part of the island and the presence of the British Sovereign Base Areas.
These issues have raised questions about how Cyprus will manage border controls, particularly along the Green Line and at the British bases.
A political goal before 2028
According to sources, Nicosia hopes to bring the issue before the EU Council in September with one main objective: securing a political decision for full Schengen membership within less than 18 months and, in any case, before the February 2028 presidential elections.
The government’s push marks a change from previous Cypriot administrations, which avoided moving forward with Schengen membership while the Cyprus problem remained unresolved.
Former presidents Tassos Papadopoulos, Demetris Christofias, and Nicos Anastasiades were cautious about joining Schengen before a settlement, fearing it could create the image of a hard border between the government-controlled areas and the occupied north, potentially deepening division.
The current government takes a different view.
The Foreign Ministry believes there is “no cause for concern” and that no changes on the ground will be required along the Green Line. In an internal note, the head of the Schengen Directorate, Philippa Karsera Christodoulides, reportedly argued that Schengen-style checks would not be introduced at crossing points.
Cyprus’ “special circumstances”
Unlike Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania, which faced challenges linked to land borders, Cyprus does not share a land border with another EU country.
But it has its own unique issues.
The main concern among EU partners is not Cyprus’ internal security situation but whether the island’s particular circumstances could create gaps that allow irregular migrants or third-country nationals without Schengen visas to enter Cyprus and then travel onwards to other Schengen countries.
A foreign diplomatic source told Kathimerini Cyprus that “the Council will show how many teeth Cyprus’ special circumstances have,” pointing out that similar issues delayed the accession of other countries for years.
Croatia needed more than three years of political discussions before receiving approval, while Romania and Bulgaria faced a 13-year process due to repeated objections and vetoes from member states.
No country has secured a political decision to join Schengen within 18 months, including during previous major EU enlargement waves.
Turkish objections
Another factor complicating the issue is the reaction from Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side.
Although Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot administration have not formally responded following Cyprus’ positive technical evaluation by Brussels, Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman had previously raised objections to Cyprus joining Schengen.
His concerns focus mainly on two issues.
First, he argued that Schengen membership could create problems for Turkish Cypriots who are not officially citizens of the Republic of Cyprus, potentially affecting their freedom of movement.
He also linked the issue to broader questions, including ending what the Turkish side describes as the “isolation” of Turkish Cypriots and citizenship issues involving children of mixed marriages between Turkish Cypriots and settlers.
Second, Erhurman criticized the EU, arguing that Brussels ignores the reality that Cyprus remains a divided island.
A Brussels source said it remains unclear whether Turkish objections would genuinely aim to block Cyprus’ Schengen accession or whether they are intended to strengthen the Turkish side’s political arguments over “sovereign equality.”
The source added that the Turkish side would gain more politically if Cyprus’ Schengen membership created the impression of a hard border between the government-controlled areas and the occupied north.
The EU’s warning: No easy road ahead
A source familiar with discussions in Brussels stressed that the final decision belongs to EU member states.
While avoiding predictions on Cyprus’ timeline, the source pointed out that recent examples show Schengen accession is often a lengthy political process.
Croatia joined Schengen on January 1, 2023, after more than three years of negotiations. Romania and Bulgaria, which joined on January 1, 2025, needed 13 years of political discussions after facing repeated objections from member states.
However, Cyprus differs from those cases.
It does not face concerns over land borders, corruption, or rule-of-law issues that affected previous applicants. Instead, its challenge lies in its unique political situation: the territory of the Republic of Cyprus remains outside government control, while the EU has also raised concerns about controls at the British bases.
According to the source, EU countries are mainly focused on ensuring that possible irregular migration flows cannot pass through Cyprus and then move into the wider Schengen area.
“There are clouds in Cyprus’ case as well,” the source said, “but no one can say yet whether they will turn into a storm or how long the process of full Schengen participation will ultimately take.”
