House president hails 20 years since EU accession

Two decades after joining the EU, Cyprus has made “spectacular progress” when it comes to positive changes in the daily life of the population, House president Annita Demetriou said on Friday.

“Joining the European family has offered invaluable opportunities, instrumental in promoting positive change, from economic growth to strengthening social cohesion and from environmental sustainability to cultural interactions and strengthening all aspects of human rights,” she said, addressing a special session of the plenum to mark 20 years since the island joined the bloc.

She said Cyprus’ access to the single market had further been a catalyst in boosting trade and investment, while financial funding through European programmes had fuelled infrastructure development and innovation.

“The extensive benefits of EU member state status thus become visible and tangible, touching the life of every Cypriot citizen,” she added, addressing President Nikos Christofoulides who was also present in addition to Demetriou’s counterparts from Malta, Greece, Lithuania and Slovenia, European Commissioner Stella Kyriakidou and senior local officials.

Demetriou said the EU of 2024 was not the same as the European Communities of 1958 and that every enlargement and every amendment to the treaties had catalysed the creation of “a vibrant meeting place of cultures, gathering of ideas and political compromise”, so that the union functioned as a nucleus for the promotion of democracy and progress based on a shared commitment to unity and solidarity through shared values.

“However, we must not forget that the celebration of the 20th anniversary of our joining the European family is overshadowed by another gloomy anniversary for Cyprus and for Europe: that of the 50 years since the illegal Turkish invasion…,” Demetriou added.

She also mentioned that “our Turkish Cypriot fellow citizens” were unfortunately absent from the process of the Republic of Cyprus’ accession to the EU, due to the invasion and division of the island despite the fact that the then leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community was invited to participate together with the Greek Cypriots in the accession negotiations, “a call which was unfortunately rejected”.

The EU, she said, in a rapidly changing environment, was and is called to collectively face a series of successive crises including the financial crisis, Brexit, Covid, the invasion of Ukraine and now the war in Gaza.

The bloc however, she added, manages to survive and strengthen its integration and cohesion, through the effort to find collective solutions “against the sirens of Euroscepticism and populism”.

Demetriou said challenges still include ensuring conditions of social justice and decent employment, improving health and combating disinformation, require the development of coherent and ambitious policies based on strengthening democracy and more active participation of citizens in the decision-making process – especially women and young people.

Despite the progress that has been made in general, Demetriou said the bloc must move decisively towards more effective management migration through specific actions that include the countries of origin and trafficking of irregular migrants.

“It is in these cases that the concept of European solidarity, but also of the emergence of the Union as a leading force in the world, must acquire a substantial content,” she said.

Earlier on Friday, Demetriou toured the Green Line with the EU representatives.

“It is time that all of us including the EU take responsibility in dealing with the illegal invasion and occupation of Cyprus,” she said.