Cyprus visit: President Juncker expresses full support

The country’s economy, energy questions and progress in the Cyprus talks feature high on the agenda of this first official visit of President Juncker to Cyprus.

The President meets President Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı and speaks before the Parliament, confirming the Commission's full support to Cyprus. He also reappointed Pieter Van Nuffel as Personal Representative for Cyprus.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker i pays a two-day visit to Cyprus on 16-17 July at the invitation of President Nikos Anastasiades. It is President Juncker’s first official visit to the island since becoming President of the European Commission. The President is accompanied by the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides i.

President Juncker meets President Anastasiades to discuss prospects for the country’s economy and how Cyprus can benefit from the Investment Plan for Europe i. Energy questions and progress in the Cyprus talks also feature high on the agenda. In this context, President Juncker announced the reappointment of Pieter Van Nuffel as his Personal Representative to the UN Good Offices Mission in Cyprus, who will continue to advise on EU legal matters, act as a liaison between the UN and the Commission and will ensure that any solution to the Cyprus issue will be compatible with European law and European values.

President Juncker also meets Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı to discuss, amongst other issues, how the Commission can better help the Turkish-Cypriot Community to prepare for the period after the settlement of the Cyprus issue. A joint working lunch of the three leaders at Nicosia’s buffer zone is scheduled.

President Juncker also addresses the plenary of the House of Representatives and has the opportunity to meet the Speaker, Mr Yiannakis Omirou, and the leaders of the political parties represented in the House.