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The Foreign Minister of Cyprus, Constantinos Kombos, said that his country had made significant progress towards Schengen Area membership over the past two years. He emphasized that accession remains the government's top foreign policy priority, though several complex issues still need to be addressed.
“Our goal is to secure the European Commission’s final evaluation by the end of this year. The next six months will require intensive work,” Kombos noted, adding that Cyprus prefers actions over words.
His comments came following the European Commission’s recent “State of Schengen” report.
President Nikos Christodoulides previously assured that Cyprus will complete all technical preparations for joining the Schengen Area by the end of 2025. Special attention is being given to resolving issues related to the cease-fire line — the demarcation zone between the Greek and Turkish parts of the island.
Despite being an EU member since 2004, Cyprus remains outside the Schengen zone. The country's authorities expect that accession will provide a strong boost to tourism — one of the key sectors of the national economy.
The European Commissioner for Internal Affairs, Magnus Brunner, said that the Commission is closely observing Cyprus’ progress in Schengen accession. As part of its support, the EU has already allocated more than €292 million to Nicosia for strengthening border control, migration management, and police cooperation between 2021 and 2027.
A significant portion of these funds is designated for specific projects: €6.77 million will go toward the construction of new migrant reception centers in Limni, €30 million for enhancing surveillance capabilities at sea borders, and €9.9 million will be invested in upgrading digital systems, including the Schengen Information System.
Source: Schengen News
