Cyprus has until 30 November to submit to the European Union its list of armament programmes that the National Guard hopes to finance through the new SAFE regulation, Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas has said.
Speaking on state radio, Palmas explained that on 27 November he will table a proposal to the Council of Ministers so it can be approved and formally sent to Brussels, triggering the official process.
His comments come days after the European Parliament’s rapporteur on Turkey, Nacho Sánchez Amor, said the EU “wants Turkey close to its defence architecture”. Palmas, however, repeated that Ankara cannot participate in SAFE because it “threatens Greece and is an occupying power in Cyprus”.
He added that Cyprus cannot rule out the possibility that Turkey may seek indirect participation through European companies in which Turkish investors hold shares.
Restructuring and promotions in the National Guard
On the internal front, the minister said the Defence Ministry has drawn up a new plan for redistributing posts within the National Guard. Evaluations and promotion boards for both non-commissioned officers and officers will follow shortly, as part of a broader restructuring.
Palmas added that it should be taken as certain that promotions in the National Guard will be completed by the end of the year.
SAFE is a European Union financing instrument approved on 27 May 2025, designed to strengthen the Union’s defence capabilities through joint armament programmes and the production of weapons systems, according to the regulation adopted by the European Council.
Under SAFE, the EU will make available up to 150 billion euro to interested member states, disbursed upon request and on the basis of national plans. The funds will take the form of long-term loans to be repaid by the beneficiary states.