Ayia Napa hosted the 11th Cyprus Wine Competition (VIDEO + PICTURES)

It is a great pleasure for me to be among winemakers, wine experts and wine lovers in general, to address the 11th Award Ceremony^th Cyprus Wine Competition, an institution that has gained recognition and plays a key role in the wine events of Cyprus. I want to assure you of the real will of the Government to support the wine sector and any effort to promote the Wines of Cyprus.

I know that the modern wines of Cyprus are of exceptional quality levels and can be favorably compared to the international competition. Tonight, the "best of the best" Wines of Cyprus are awarded, as the culmination of the effort, toil, and continuous efforts of the Cypriot Winemakers, and consequently of our vine growers who produce the raw material.

The quality events organized in the framework of 11^th Cyprus Wine Competition, the participation of 34 winemakers which is for the fourth consecutive year a record number for the place and the large number of competing wines that reaches 167, are elements that demonstrate the success of this institution. This wine event is in itself a milestone for the wine sector of Cyprus. But it is also a landmark for many other reasons. Primarily because it contributes to the cultivation of a climate of noble competition among winemakers for quality recognition. At the same time, the importance that must be attached to the quality and uniqueness of the Wines of Cyprus is confirmed. From the dynamic promotion and communication of all events, a positive current is created in favor of the Varietal Wines, the Wines that are characterized as Products of Designation of Origin and Products of Geographical Indication, since the recognizability increases and the wine identity is established in the mind of the consumer.

Certainly, what is expected to complete the positive impact is the increase of the market share of the Wines of Cyprus. Among the highlights of this year's Cyprus Wine Competition is the continued support of the International Organization of Vine and Wine and the presence of the French oenologist Beatrice Da-Ros, who is the envoy expert of the International Organization of Vine and Wine and has been appointed Chairman of the Committee.

I consider it my obligation, as the political Head of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, to emphasize the value of the effort made for the complete redefinition of the "Cyprus Wine" brand. In this effort, important is not only the assistance of 23 million euros of the National Viticulture Support Program for the period 2014-2018, and many more that are expected to be included in the new programming five years 2019-2023, but mainly the added value sought through of this Program so that Cyprus can continue its development course as a place for the production of quality wine.

Our goal and effort is to make wine Cyprus more attractive to local consumers, to address the foreign visitor with a proposal of a purely local character and to seek sustainability in the wine sector. The Rural Development Program 2014-2020, provides alternative opportunities for the further strengthening of the local profile that the Wines of Cyprus have developed in recent years on the basis of the unique "terroir" of our country. A "terroir" with a historic vineyard without phylloxera, with unique indigenous varieties, and with Koumandaria, the flagship of quality Cypriot wine production.

Finally, I congratulate and thank all the participants of the Competition and I hope that it will soon become international, placing the wine Cyprus even higher. I also congratulate the award-winning winemakers and wish them good luck. I also feel obliged to thank the Management and the staff of the Department of Agriculture for the exemplary organization of all events and all the co-organizers of 11^th Cyprus Wine Competition.