Katerina Nicolaou in Strasbourg
The President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, is presenting the priorities of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union this morning to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
As the European Parliament opens its first plenary session under the Cypriot EU Presidency, around 700 farmers have driven their tractors to Strasbourg to protest the EU–Mercosur trade deal.
According to the official programme, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, welcomes President Christodoulides at 10:00 local time in Strasbourg. The two leaders will hold a bilateral meeting prior to the plenary session.
President Christodoulides will then address the MEPs, outlining the priorities and political direction of the Cypriot Presidency. A joint press conference with Metsola is scheduled to follow the address. In a written statement issued on Monday, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said the President’s speech is expected to focus on the central message of the Presidency: “Autonomous Union. Open to the World.”
The President’s intervention is framed around the responsibility Cyprus assumes as the south-easternmost member state of the European Union. He also highlighted that Cyprus is the only EU capital that remains divided and under illegal occupation.
According to the statement, President Christodoulides will stress that respect for international law, state sovereignty, and territorial integrity is a fundamental requirement for the security, stability, and cohesion of the European Union. The President is also expected to underline the importance of defending core European values. This position is linked to the European Union’s continued and firm support for Ukraine in response to the Russian invasion, described as a violation of international law.
The Government Spokesperson remarked that this stance reflects the credibility of the European Union and its collective responsibility towards peace and international legality. Special emphasis will also be placed on Cyprus’s role as a bridge between the European Union and the wider Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East.
The President is expected to highlight the need for a more active, coherent, and strategic European presence in the region. The aim is to support stability, peace, and regional cooperation.