Cyprus Ambassador Kafkaridis: Autonomy And Openness Lead Cypriot EU Council Presidency Agenda 2026

Balgarianovinite.com Autonomy and openness to the world were the main messages of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Cyprus’s Ambassador to Bulgaria Haralambos Kafkaridis told a Euroclub meeting in Sofia on Tuesday.
Kafkaridis presented Cyprus’s priorities for the next six months at the Euroclub at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where participants also reviewed the results of the Danish Presidency.
Kafkaridis said the times were challenging not only in Europe but worldwide, citing migration, the war in Gaza and Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, and adding that recent developments in Venezuela had created additional challenges.
He described autonomy as multi-layered, spanning security, defence, the economy, energy, trade, competitiveness, and digital and social connectivity.
Kafkaridis added that Europe needed to rethink its future, noting that this was expected of it as a leader, and argued that the EU remained a leading force, a stable and predictable global partner, and a supporter of multilateralism and the rule of law.
He noted that autonomy did not mean isolation and that the EU should remain open to the world, pursuing self-reliance while coordinating with the bloc’s international partners whenever possible.
Kafkaridis said the goal was a strong EU that put Europe first while also cooperating to build a better future for the whole world.
Based on these principles, he said, the Cypriot Presidency would rest on five pillars: security, defence and preparedness; competitiveness; openness to the world; a Union of values in which no one would be left behind; and the long-term budget.
On the first pillar, Kafkaridis outlined eight priorities: steadfast support for Ukraine; faster progress on adopting the White Paper on European Defence, the defence readiness roadmap and the Union Preparedness Strategy; stronger transatlantic relations; economic security; enhanced maritime security; implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum; and a focus on safeguarding democracy.
On the second pillar, competitiveness, he said the six priorities were simplifying regulation, deepening the single market, promoting investment, capital markets, and financial autonomy, strengthening energy security, advancing trans-regional connectivity, and pursuing the green and digital transitions.
On the third pillar, openness to the world, Kafkaridis said Cyprus would prioritize EU enlargement as a strategic investment, maintain broad support for Ukraine, expand engagement with neighbouring regions, deepen ties with the Middle East, the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean, strengthen transatlantic contacts as well as links with the United Kingdom and other like-minded countries, and promote open, rules-based trade and multilateralism.
On the fourth pillar, values and social support, he said the goals included ensuring affordable housing, safeguarding children’s rights, advancing gender equality, supporting fair and inclusive employment, building a more resilient health system, and strengthening mental health support.
On the fifth pillar, the EU’s long-term budget, Kafkaridis said Cyprus would work to move negotiations on the 2028-2034 budget forward so that Ireland, the next country to hold the Council presidency, would inherit a budget process at a very advanced stage.
Kafkaridis also congratulated Bulgaria on joining the eurozone, calling it an important milestone not only for Bulgaria but also for deeper integration across the EU, and he commended Denmark for what he described as a successful presidency. Cyprus Ambassador Kafkaridis: Autonomy And Openness Lead Cypriot EU Council Presidency Agenda 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-01-13 19:33:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law