Cyprus in beautiful glory / Source: Own archive
About 340 sunny days, more cats than human residents and the cleanest beaches in Europe. These are the most popular ideas about Cyprus. However, there is much more behind this island. The strategical position, the tiny size and the ongoing political division affect the lives of an highly diverse Cypriot society. Cyprus has a very crucial function in the European Union and its struggles will translate into a fresh EU policy.
With the beginning of the fresh year, a fresh Presidency began in the Council of the European Union. The EU Council is 1 of the Union's main decision-making bodies, which brings together ministers and ministers from all associate States. This is the body where the regular legislative work takes place. The EU Council negotiates and adopts (with Parliament) EU law, coordinates policies of EU countries in circumstantial areas, creates abroad and safety policies and concludes global agreements on behalf of the Union. It is not the same body as the European Council, which brings together the 27 leaders of the EU countries and, above all, sets out the direction and priorities of EU policy action.
The Presidency represents the Council of the EU in contacts with the another EU institutions, presides over most EU Council meetings, translates EU priorities into concrete, formal decisions and cooperates with another EU bodies. This is an chance for a country to combine national interests with European interests. all 18 months, the fresh "three" jointly develops the programme and holds its Presidency. From January to June, the Presidency will be held by Cyprus, which has chosen the ‘Autonomous Union’ as its heading. Open to the world.” The main nonsubjective is to make the Union more autonomous. The aspects on which the Cyprus Presidency will want to focus are, first, security, especially in the context of Ukraine's defence and the alleged "water resistance". Competitiveness understood as simplifying regulation, promoting interregional communication and building digital sovereignty. External relations will besides be an crucial field of action, among which the European Union's commitment to relations with partners from the South and the Gulf is peculiarly important. These circumstances lead to a closer look at the political and social situation of modern Cyprus. The islands are divided into 2 parts – the Republic of Cyprus, which is an EU associate and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is recognised exclusively by Turkey.
Interregional bridge
Cyprus is located “at the intersection” of 3 continents, and this is due to its many challenges and opportunities. As Dr. Antigoni Themistokleous of the University of Nicosia (UNIC) commented on the text, strategically located Cyprus "is the southeastern border and as specified contributes to regional stableness in east Europe, while acting as a bridge between Europe and the mediate East". This makes Cyprus a strategical point of influence, safety and communication between Europe and the unstable neighbourhood. It acts as a balancing origin in a region with tense political and military relations. Moreover, it accelerates EU responses to safety threats from the region and facilitates diplomatic contacts or economical and humanitarian cooperation with another countries. This is besides highlighted by Dr. Themistokleous, saying that "despite the tiny size of Cyprus and Cypriot diplomacy have contributed to situations of tension and conflict in Lebanon, Syria and Palestine, providing a humanitarian aid centre". The "bridge" function of Cyprus is besides seen in the context of the desire to work more closely with confederate neighbours, as well as making greater advancement in relations with Turkey or the Western Balkans. In this dimension, Cyprus may service as a platform for dialog and an intermediary in diplomatic, economical and safety cooperation. Cyprus besides plays a strategical function in the mediate East as a politically unchangeable associate State of the European Union. Thanks to its position, as Dr. Themistokleous recalls, "it can act as a logistics, diplomatic and humanitarian hub for EU action in the mediate East".
Dr Themistokleous besides points out the benefits that Cyprus receives from being a associate of the European Union. In her opinion, the biggest benefit concerns the issue of political stableness and safety on the island. ‘As a tiny country, Cyprus has territorial integrity and national safety guaranteed and its diplomatic position on the Cypriot issue is strengthened.’ All these elements are crucial to stableness in specified a fragile region. Firstly, its presence in the EU protects it from force from stronger regional countries and reduces the hazard of further destabilisation. Secondly, safety guarantees act as a deterrent and reduce the likelihood of conflict escalation. Dr Themistokleous besides points out that "participation in the European institutions allows Cyprus to form regional agendas and gain representation beyond what would let it to size". This is very crucial in terms of defending its own interests and expanding global credibility.
The last divided capital
The desire to deepen cooperation with Turkey is peculiarly crucial in terms of the tensions between the 2 countries. Since 1974 and the Turkish invasion Cyprus has been a country divided into the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is simply a quasi-state recognised only by Turkey. The conflict is unregulated and presently frozen, but inactive visible, especially in the country's capital. Through the very centre of Nicosia passes the border, which seals the division of the state.
The origins of this division can be sought back in the 16th century, erstwhile the island was conquered by Turks, mainly inhabited by Greeks, in the ellipse of Greek and Roman culture. Over 300 years of Turkish regulation on the island has led to an influx of Muslim populations and to a mixture of different communities. In the 19th century, in order to prevent the Russian Empire from taking control of the Mediterranean Sea, Britain began the business of Cyprus. For many years the island was the axis of the dispute between Turkey, Greece and the United Kingdom. From 1925, she began to wear the position of a British colony. This situation did not appeal to both Greeks and Turks. During the fight with the colonial administration, 2 concepts began to develop. Greek enosis, liable for the unification of the island with Greece and Turkish taxi, postulating the division of the island into the Greek and Turkish parts. The situation in Cyprus became much worse in 1950 erstwhile the National Liberation Organisation of the EOKA (National Organisation of Cypriot militants) began carrying out armed action against British colonialists and Turkish Cypriots. The brutal civilian war continued until 1960, erstwhile the island gained independence. However, this did not halt the bloody fighting between Turkish and Greek communities. In order to prevent the increasing conflict, the British divided the Cypriot capital into 2 parts, setting up a alleged green line. The next step was the UN's sending UNFFICIP's stabilisation mission to Cyprus in 1964. The conflict was resolved temporarily. In 1974, however, there was a coup d'état that intensified the ongoing dispute again. The Greek military junta, wishing to immediately join Cyprus in Greece, carried out a coup d'état directed against the President-in-Office. The attack resulted in failure, but caused a crucial reaction from Turkey, which invaded the island. Turkish forces occupied over 36% of the island. Consequently, the creation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was proclaimed in the northern part of Cyprus, resulting in the displacement of most Greek-Cyprian communities to the south of the country. The division of the island was carried out at the dimension of the previously set green line. The United Nations-controlled buffer region has been designated along this line.
The dispute over Cyprus is simply a challenge in regulating relations between both the Republic of Cyprus and Turkey and the EU as a full with Turkey. And it's not just about statehood. 1 of the most crucial dimensions of this competition is the competition for energy interests related to natural gas deposits. For the Cypriot economy, possible income from natural gas may constitute a crucial improvement incentive. For the European Union as a whole, control over these resources means greater energy independence, especially in the face of an increasingly conflicted planet where energy safety is highly important. This is an chance for Turkey to diversify its energy supply more and to have an impact on the energy infrastructure in the region, which would increase its political strength and global position.
In the ongoing division of Cyprus, Dr. Themistokleous looks at the most crucial and hard challenge facing the state. It notes that no agreement has yet been reached despite years of negotiations. This, in turn, "has led to a failure of assurance between the 2 communities and created additional challenges". Many global actors, including Turkey, Greece and both Cypriot, Greek and Turkish, play an crucial function in the possible unification of Cyprus. Their interests and approaches to this hard situation vary greatly. In the fresh elections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRCP), a candidate opened to return to union negotiations was victorious. He won nearly 63% of the vote, winning with a candidate supported by Turkey's president Erdogan, which may indicate an interest in Turkish-Cyprian community to unify the country. In consequence to this victory, the president of the Republic of Cyprus besides expressed his willingness to negotiate. However, Turkey's strong reluctance to do so may be an obstacle. The TRCP is heavy dependent on Turkey and its abroad policy is conducted in consultation with that country. It can so be assumed that without Turkey's consent the chances of unification are slim. The attitude of the Greek Cypriots on this issue besides remains ambiguous. This was reflected in the 2004 referendum erstwhile most of them rejected the proposal for unification contained in the Annan Plan. The plan was to make 1 national state on the full island. Both components would have broad autonomy, but would be linked by a common government and constitution. The task besides provided for a permanent residence licence for Greek and Turkish troops on the island or the creation of a conciliation committee aimed at bringing the Turkish and Greek communities closer together. The military issue was 1 of the reasons why the Greek Cypriots refused to adopt the plan. They were not satisfied with the fact that Turkey would have obtained the right to keep the occupying troops on the island on a permanent basis and was not attributed any work or consequences for the 1974 invasion.
Internal challenges
Among the crucial difficulties facing present-day Cyprus, which Dr Themistokleous points out, are political polarisation and the ongoing migration crisis. At the end of May, parliamentary elections will be held in Cyprus. According to the current polling trend, the government is likely to lose its majority. This indicates a crucial change in political power in the state. conventional parties stay at the forefront of the race, but the growth trend is seen among fresh parties (although ALMA or Direct Democracy). Current results of pre-election polls show that Cyprus' political scene is highly fragmented. According to the December polls, as many as six parties are above the electoral threshold, and 3 others are very close to it.
The 2 main parties on the Cypriot political scene are DISY (Democratic Assembly) and AKEL (Progressive Labour Party). DISY is simply a centre-right organization liable for European integration, free marketplace economical policy and a more restrictive migration policy. AKEL, in turn, is simply a communist organization that supports the national solution to the interior Cypriot issue, a wide redistribution of social resources, secularisation and large freedom on civilian liberties issues. It besides advocates a more open migration policy and multiculturalism. It is the oldest political organization in Cyprus. The 3rd organization appearing in the polls is the ELAM organization (National People's Front). It is described as highly right-wing and ultranationalistic. It is powerfully liable for conventional values, it is Eurosceptic, supports spiritual influences on the functioning of the state and has a very restrictive approach to migration policy.
On migration, both legal and illegal, Cyprus faces any problems, especially erstwhile considering the size of the island. Cyprus belongs to EU countries with any of the higher migration rates per population. This is besides reflected in the demographic structure. According to Eurostat data from 2024, the percent of Cypriot citizens born abroad was 26.9%. In Poland, the same rate was 2.6%. Since 2025, the Cypriot government has tightened its migration policy. He placed first on "return policy" – deporting nearly 11,000 people during the year, which is 1 of the highest results in history. Secondly, to modernise migration centres and digitise many migration-related processes. Thirdly, 175,677 foreigners are legally present in Cyprus for greater integration among a diverse society, according to the end of September 2025. Among these people, the most many group are Russians, which are over 40,000, which can be seen with the bare eye after spending a small time on the island.
As you can see, the Cyprus Presidency is simply a good excuse to take a closer look at this country. As the easternmost state of the European Union, Cyprus is the place where cultures, communities and religions penetrate. Although it remains a year-round tourist destination for many, it hides much more than being an ideal, sunny destination. The division of the island, the frozen conflict with Turkey, the size and location – all this affects how people live here, the problems they face. From the position of the full country, it affects the possibilities it has to become a more crucial actor on the global stage, as well as to keep its safety and independence.
Marianna CZMOCHOWSKA
