Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis on Saturday promised that Friday’s cabinet reshuffle will have no effect on Cyprus’ preparations to undertake the Council of the European Union’s rotating presidency at the beginning of next month.

He said that “under no circumstances whatsoever” will the six changes in cabinet have any effect, while also stressing that a cabinet reshuffle is “the exclusive constitutional right of the president”.

Additionally, he stressed that President Nikos Christodoulides “acts with the basic and central exclusive guideline of implementing the government’s programme”, which he then described as “the social contract President Christodoulides has with the Cypriot people”.

The new cabinet members are to be sworn into their roles on Monday.

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From the start of next year, four new ministers will chair Council of the EU meetings over the next six months having taken up their duties just 24 days before Cyprus undertakes the Council of the EU’s rotating presidency.

Justice Minister Costas Fytiris will chair the Council of the EU’s justice and home affairs council (JHA) meetings, and both Health Minister Neophytos Charalambides and Social Welfare Deputy Minister Clea Hadjistefanou-Papaellina will chair employment, social policy, health, and consumer affairs council (Epsco) meetings.

Meanwhile, Energy Minister Michael Damianos, moved as health minister, will chair competitiveness council (Compet) meetings in the first half of next year.

The Council of the EU’s other seven configurations will be chaired by ministers unaffected by this reshuffle during Cyprus’ six-month term.

The general affairs council (GAC) will be chaired by European Affairs Deputy Minister Marilena Raouna, the foreign affairs council (FAC) will be chaired by the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and the economic and financial affairs council (Ecofin) will be chaired by Finance Minister Makis Keravnos.

The agriculture and fisheries (Agrifish) council and the environment council (Envi) will be chaired by Maria Panayiotou, the transport, telecommunications, and energy (TTE) council will be chaired by Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades, and the education, youth, culture, and sport (EYCS) meetings will be chaired by Education Minister Athena Michaelidou in the first half of next year.