President Nikos Christodoulides focused on legal reform and the fight against corruption in his opening address at the opening of the annual Cyprus Forum on Wednesday night.
“The effort for bold and continuous reforms to strengthen the rule of law and tackle corruption is unstoppable,” he said in a video address to the three-day conference examining major challenges facing Cyprus, Europe and the wider region.
He stressed the importance of a strong economy to support these reforms, reward the public’s sacrifices and affirm government policies. On the Cyprus issue, he expressed cautious optimism about the possibility of resuming talks.
The opening ceremony was held at the old town hall in Nicosia at 6.30pm. It began with a welcome address by Cyprus Forum executive chairman and founding member Nicolas Kyriakides.
Fisheries European Commissioner Costas Kades, in his video message, outlined the EU’s strategic priorities for oceans and shipping. He stressed the importance of data and technology in restoring ocean health. Kades said Cyprus, as an island member state of the EU, both contributes to and stands to gain from this strategy, especially ahead of Cyprus’ EU presidency in 2026.
European Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos emphasised the need to work towards EU expansion. She said a larger EU could bring benefits to citizens and strengthen the EU’s position in facing international challenges. She stressed that accession requires concrete reforms, not just promises.
The event also featured greetings from Mario Nava, head of the directorate-general for employment of the European Commission, and Constantinos Yiorkadjis, president of the Nicosia district local government organisation (EOA).
The evening continued with a discussion led by Michalis Argyrou, economics professor and head of the economic office of the Greek prime minister. He addressed prospects and challenges for the European and Cypriot economy.
The first day concluded with the awarding of the peace and democracy prize. This prize, a Cyprus Forum tradition, honours individuals and initiatives that promote democracy, cooperation and reconciliation in Cyprus and internationally. This year’s posthumous recipients were Xenophon Kallis and Turkan Aziz. The award ceremony was introduced by Charalambos Proutzos, Mehmet Harmantzi and Giulia Bertezzolo, head of the Cyprus Issue support unit at the European Commission.
The Cyprus Forum continues until Friday this week. Upcoming sessions will include speeches from Cyprus officials such as Undersecretary to the President Irini Piki, Labour Minister Yiannis Panayiotou, Energy Minister George Papanastasiou, Deputy Minister of Research Nicodemos Damianou, and Deputy Minister of Migration Nicolas Ioannides. Sessions will also feature international and local representatives from politics, the economy and civil society.
The forum, sponsored by the Cyprus News Agency, aims to foster dialogue on reform, cooperation and the challenges facing Cyprus and the region.
