The President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, stated on Thursday that Cyprus has raised the idea that it and other EU states take the initiative to raise the issue of the Union considering the possibility of transferring taxes, especially those related to the green transition, to a later stage or even whether they need to be canceled, so that they do not have a negative effect on the EU's competitiveness.
In his statements arriving at the venue where the European Council meeting is taking place on Thursday in Brussels, after previously participating in the meeting of the European People's Party (EPP), the President also welcomed the American intervention, which led, as he noted, to the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, noting that what he will point out before the other EU heads of state is that during the Cyprus Presidency of the EU the goal is "to bring the region closer together with the EU."
In response to a journalist's observation that although a ceasefire has been achieved between Israel and Iran, the EU's inability to react in a timely manner has been highlighted, the President of the Republic said that this is one of the issues that will be discussed today at the European Council.
"It is an issue that we have now discussed in the EPP," he said. He welcomed the American intervention, which led, as he noted in the ceasefire, "to a positive result taking into account the broader developments."
"And it is another indication of the need for the EU, if it wants to have a geopolitical role, to play a leading role in such developments," he added.
He stated that "there are also some positive developments with our own initiatives, the President of Egypt was invited to come to Brussels, to meet with the heads of the institutions. The same with Lebanon and I will be happy to welcome the President of Lebanon to Cyprus in the coming days," he noted.
He also said that "I welcomed the fact that the President of the European Parliament visited the UAE for the first time and we must demonstrate in practice the role we can play in the region."
"And within this context, I also informed about the visit of the Prime Minister of India to Cyprus," he said, noting that he will be invited to the informal meeting that will take place in Cyprus during the Cypriot Presidency of the EU.
The President also said that today they will see the progress that has been made so far "in the very important decisions we have taken in the field of defense and security."
He stressed that "the Republic of Cyprus will fully utilize the opportunities offered, financial and others, by the EU program for defense and security. First and foremost, it is to help the European industry and we have a Cypriot industry that is very promising and we will utilize it. First, we as the Republic of Cyprus, as the National Guard, will utilize the Cypriot defense products and help them to be strengthened even further in relation to sales made abroad," he noted.
On the issue of migration, the President said that the main problem at the moment is Libya, the flows towards Greece and Italy. He stated that "we stand by these two countries, we know very well what it means."
He noted that before the European Council meeting he would participate in a meeting organized by Italy on migration. He said he would present the new plan of the Republic of Cyprus that began on June 2 and has brought significant results.
"A plan under which when asylum seekers or political refugees accept the revocation of their international protection status or the withdrawal of their asylum application, the father or mother will be able to stay in Cyprus to work legally for a specific period as long as the other family members return to Syria with financial support from the Republic of Cyprus," he explained.
He mentioned that the fourth issue he considers important is the issue of competitiveness, "how to reduce bureaucracy and change some regulations."
"Within this context, an issue that I raised in the EPP and will raise today, after consultation with other leaders of member states, is the need to look at some taxes, especially in relation to the issues of the green transition, some decisions that we took in the past when the data were different, which if implemented today will affect the competitiveness of the EU even more," he said.
So, he noted, we need to revisit these decisions, perhaps postpone them to a later stage. At this time, implementing decisions made with different data will affect the EU's competitiveness and we do not want it to suffer even more, he stressed.
Asked if there was a possibility that the implementation of green taxation could be suspended in Cyprus, he replied that there are other taxes, not just green taxation.
"There are taxes, for example, that are scheduled to be implemented on 1/1/2027. And during my contacts in the Baltic countries and other countries within the framework of our preparations for the Presidency, we proposed the idea of taking an initiative with those states that we believe will have a negative impact on the competitiveness of the EU, to transfer them to a later stage or even, if necessary, cancel them," he noted.
He mentioned that he raised this issue and that "there are approximately a double-digit number of member states that embrace this approach of ours." "I raised the issue with the President of the Commission and we will discuss it further today in the context of competitiveness," he said.
Asked whether the Cyprus issue was discussed during the EPP session, the President of the Republic said that "the Cyprus issue is in the EPP conclusions. It is something we welcome. The support that exists. You know that the appointment of Mr. Khan also had the support of the EPP. Previously, among his other capacities, he was also Vice-President of the EPP," he noted.
He mentioned that another dimension that is a national goal is the full integration of the Republic of Cyprus into Schengen. "It is something for which we also need the support of the EPP," he said, noting that this issue was raised in the EPP conclusions.
When asked whether any discussion is expected on Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which according to the External Action Service is violated by Israel, and whether he is satisfied with the wording on this in the European Council conclusions, President Christodoulides said that it is an issue that will be discussed.
He pointed out that the excellent relations that the Republic of Cyprus has with Israel are very well known, noting that "what we as the Republic of Cyprus have strongly raised and we have also raised it in the EPP and we are in some consultations with Israel and other neighboring states is the issue of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza."
"There is absolutely no excuse for children to go missing every day because they do not have access to basic goods such as water, milk, food," he noted and emphasized that this thing must be resolved and there is absolutely no excuse, and these two should be linked.
Asked whether pressure could be exerted by the Summit, President Christodoulides replied that "at the EU level, unfortunately not."
He added that "there are different positions, different approaches. We, as a state that has done this in the past with humanitarian aid - let me remind you that Israel's decision to lift the naval embargo on Gaza after 17 years was decisive - are working on a bilateral level, together with some other partners, the UAE, the US, to resume the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza," he said.
Asked what message Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had for Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan regarding the Cyprus issue, President Christodoulides said that he would have a meeting with Mr. Mitsotakis, who would brief him.
Source: KYPE