The opening ceremony of Cyprus’ Presidency of the EU Council will see streets closed and traffic changes on Wednesday afternoon, police said on Monday.

The ceremony will start at 6.30pm at the THOC building on Grigoris Afxentiou in the centre of Nicosia.

Parking of vehicles will not be allowed on Demosthenes Severis, Grigoris Afxentiou, Michael Karaoli, Lord Vyronos, Kosti Palama, Omirou, Anastasiou Leventis, Evagoras, Diagorou and on Vasileos Pavlou streets.

In addition, the Nicosia municipality throughout the day, will not allow the parking of private vehicles in the two underground parking spaces of the old GSP stadium.

From 2.30pm roads will be closed around the area of THOC and accessibility will be fully controlled.

Drivers are urged to comply with traffic regulations as well as with the instructions of the police officers on duty.

Also, the transport ministry has issued a decree banning the use of drones in the area, which will be in force for the full six months of the presidency.

High-profile names from European and regional politics are expected to attend Wednesday’s opening ceremony of Cyprus’ six-month term as the holder of the Council of the European Union’s rotating presidency, its spokeswoman Stella Michael said on Saturday, describing the ceremony as “emblematic”.

Among the attendees, she told the Cyprus News Agency, will be European Council president Antonio Costa, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, and Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid.