Cyprus’ defence industry ‘has made significant progress’

Cyprus’ defence industry “has made significant progress in recent years”, Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas said on Thursday.

Addressing a conference at the Cyprus chamber of commerce and industry (Keve), he said the government is now “working intensively to create the appropriate structures and shape the policies which will facilitate its access to funding programmes, know-how, and international cooperation”.

He added that his ministry “recognises the importance of the active participation of Cypriot businesses and research institutions” in the defence industry, and “will support their development efforts”.

“Cyprus, a semi-occupied state, but also a member of the European Union in a geopolitically unstable region, must invest substantially in the strengthening of its defence capabilities,” he said.

To this end, he said, the conference “constitutes a substantial step towards the formation of a dynamic defence ecosystem, where cooperation between the state, industry, and the academic and research community can lead to substantial results and innovative solutions”.

He added that as such, the government “is seeking the participation of Cypriot entities in European and international programmes, to strengthen the connection between innovation and entrepreneurship, and to strengthen the nation’s strategic autonomy”.

He went on to say that in light of the latest meeting of the EU’s 27 defence ministers earlier this week, Cyprus had “taken a very clear position on the development and promotion of medium-sized defence industry enterprises”.

He closed his remarks by expressing his hope that the day’s conference would be “the starting point for new cooperations, strategic partnerships, and innovative initiatives which will be beneficial for their participants”.

Such initiatives, he added, will “also be beneficial for our homeland and for the strengthening of Cyprus’ role in the European and international defence arena”.

Palmas’ comments come in a year in which the European parliament approved a “white paper on the future of European defence” in March, with the white paper endorsing European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s “ReArm Europe” plan, which could see €800 billion spent on building up the continent’s military capabilities.

Four of Cyprus’ six MEPs voted in favour of the white paper, with Disy’s Loucas Fourlas and Michalis Hadjipantela, Diko’s Costas Mavrides, and Elam’s Geadis Geadi voting in its favour, while Akel’s Giorgos Georgiou and Panayiotou voted against.

In total, the white paper received 419 votes in its favour and 204 against, with 46 abstentions.