Cyprus secured record-breaking investor demand when it issued a €1 billion 10-year government bond on January 21, according to Finance Minister Makis Keravnos and detailed data released by the Public Debt Management Office.

In statements made on Thursday, the minister described the €16.50 billion in total offers as a historic milestone.

“The Republic of Cyprus asked for offers of €1 billion and received offers of €16.5 billion,” he said. “This is a historic event.”

“For the first time there has been such strong appetite to invest in a bond of the Republic of Cyprus,” he added.

“It was a very successful issuance, with a very low interest rate of 3.25 per cent, the lowest among all recent sovereign issues,” Keravnos stated.

He pointed to recent bond issuances by Greece, Portugal and other countries, stressing that Cyprus achieved the most favourable pricing.

The department of public administration and personnel has issued a circular detailing the conditions, procedures and responsibilities governing hybrid working across the public sector, which will come into effect from April 2.

The circular sets out the steps that must be taken by heads of departments and employees alike, covering eligibility, approval procedures, equipment requirements, supervision and the circumstances under which working from home may be interrupted.

It follows the recent issuance of an implementation manual, which provides technical and operational guidance to services and staff, and is linked to the 2025 law regulating remote work in the public service, which enters into force on April 2 following a council of ministers decision in December.

According to the circular, signed by the department’s director Elena Economidou-Azina, a basic condition for working away from the office is that an employee’s duties, or part of them, can be carried out remotely, taking into account their nature and the technological means required.

This assessment is made by the relevant head of department.

Cyprus’ Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanolis was in London this week for meetings linked to Cyprus’ role at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), while also setting the groundwork for the country’s EU Council presidency.

Speaking on LGR 103.3 FM Greek Radio London with host journalist Vasoula Christodoulou, she said she wanted to be there in person, recalling her student years in the UK when Greek radio “made us feel like we were in our homeland”.

Against that personal backdrop, she explained that Cyprus’ frequent presence in London is closely tied to the IMO, where the country continues to be elected to the Council.

During this visit, she held a bilateral meeting with her UK counterpart, Keir Mather, where discussions focused on further strengthening relations between Cyprus and the United Kingdom, while also addressing the broader challenges facing global shipping.

At the same time, she said she briefed him on the priorities of the Cyprus presidency of the Council of the European Union, expressing confidence that cooperation between the two countries will continue and be further strengthened over the coming six months.

Cyprus recorded a general government surplus of €653.6 million in the third quarter of 2025, according to preliminary fiscal results released by the state statistical service (Cystat) on Thursday.

The results cover the period July-September 2025 and show a lower surplus compared with €871.00 million recorded in the same period of 2024.

Cystat reported that total government revenue rose by €104.20 million, representing an increase of 2.6 per cent, to reach €4.10 billion in the third quarter of 2025.

This compares with €3.99 billion in revenue during July-September 2024.

Social contributions increased by €62.50 million, or 5.7 per cent, reaching €1.15 billion, up from €1.09 billion a year earlier.

Lidl Cyprus published its new socioeconomic impact assessment on Thursday, outlining its contribution to the Cypriot economy and society through employment, investment and sustainability initiatives.

The company said the assessment confirms its commitment to responsible entrepreneurship and its continued creation of value for Cyprus for another consecutive year.

The sixth socioeconomic impact assessment captures Lidl Cyprus’ performance during 2024 and highlights the steady strengthening of its economic and social footprint across the country.

According to the study, Lidl Cyprus contributed a total of €133 million to Cyprus’ GDP, corresponding to 0.43 per cent of national output.

The assessment found that for every €1 contributed by Lidl Cyprus, an additional €0.46 in added value is generated across the wider economy.

President of the Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Evel) Andreas Tsouloftas has assumed the presidency of the Limassol regional tourism board (Etap), it emerged on Thursday.

Tsouloftas succeeds Tonis Antoniou, who passed away in December, 2025, following a battle with cancer.

In a statement, the association said Tsouloftas takes over at a particularly difficult moment, adding that the late Antoniou had served the organisation with “dedication and consistency”, and had “left a significant mark on its work and overall course”.

At the same time, it said Tsouloftas brings “extensive experience in the business and institutional sector, as well as substantial knowledge of the needs and prospects of the local economy”.

His objective, according to the announcement, is “to continue and further strengthen the work of the Limassol regional tourism board”, with an emphasis on “sustainable tourism development, cooperation with all local bodies and the strengthening of the international promotion of Limassol”.

The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve) has notified Cypriot businesses that Sicindustria will be organising the SiciliaWine 2026 mission later this year.

The mission will take place in collaboration with the Enterprise Europe Network, whose representative and coordinator in Cyprus is the local chamber of commerce, along with the Agrifood Sector Group.

The initiative is further supported by Unioncamere Sicilia, which is the Association of Chambers of Commerce of Sicily.

This introductory event aims to bring together Sicilian producers with international buyers who are actively seeking suppliers for wine, olive oil, and grains.

The organisers stated that it is a unique opportunity to create new business contacts in a time-efficient and cost-effective manner.

The Enterprise Europe Network Cyprus is inviting Cypriot small and medium-sized enterprises to participate in upcoming informative webinars organised by the EU Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation on January 21, 2026.

This initiative is funded by the European Union and aims to provide specialised information on key Japanese markets along with practical guidance for European businesses.

As part of the About Japan webinar series, the EU Japan Centre will host free online sessions throughout January 2026.

One specific session, titled About Japan Series 263, will take place on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, between 10:30 and 11:30 Central European Time.

This particular webinar will focus exclusively on food distribution channels in Japan.

The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve) is set to coordinate a significant Mediterranean initiative titled ‘Promoting Local Apiary Networks and Bee Entrepreneurial Excellence’.

Registrations have officially opened for the project’s inaugural conference, which is themed “From Hives to Horizons: Building a Sustainable Bee Economy in Jordan” and will be held on January 28, 2026.

The event is scheduled to take place from 09:00 to 13:00 Cyprus time in Amman, with a hybrid format allowing participants to join the discussions online.

Acting as the project coordinator, the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry will present the vision and expected impact of the initiative across six Mediterranean nations.

Sallaum Lines, a major international shipping company specialising in Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) transport, moving vehicles and project cargo, has announced the relocation of its headquarters from Switzerland to Limassol, Cyprus.

According to an official statement, the move reflects the company’s long-term growth vision and its commitment to strengthening its presence within the European maritime world.

As mentioned in the statement, Cyprus, known as one of the world’s top global shipping centres and the largest shipping management hub in Europe, provides an established and supportive environment for maritime businesses.

Cyprus-based Columbia Group, a leading integrated maritime, logistics and offshore services company, has announced a strategic expansion into India with the opening of a new office in Mumbai, reinforcing the group’s long-term global growth roadmap.

The new office marks a significant milestone in Columbia Group’s global expansion strategy and reflects its continued investment in strengthening regional hubs that deliver a broad spectrum of maritime and operational services.

In parallel, the group plans to recruit around 220 additional professionals in India, further enhancing its global service capabilities.

This move builds on the success of Columbia Group’s established hub in the Philippines, which supports a wide range of Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM) and group-wide operations.

Greek lender Alpha Bank on Thursday announced its financial calendar for 2026 outlining key dates for results announcements, dividend distributions, share buybacks and workforce restructuring initiatives.

The bank said it will publish its 2025 financial results on February 27, 2026, with the announcement to be made before the opening of the Athens Stock Exchange session.

Alpha Bank stated that the ex-dividend date for the 2025 financial year has been set for July 1, 2026, subject to the required approvals.

The bank added that dividend payments for the 2025 financial year will begin on July 8, 2026.

Alpha Bank also announced plans for a pre-dividend distribution for the 2026 financial year, signalling an earlier return of capital to shareholders.

The Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) on Thursday announced the launch of a consultation process, regarding new rules for participation in its funding programmes.

The foundation confirmed that these new rules will be applied to a new Grants Management System which is expected to go live in 2027.

The main changes include the use of lump sum payments and the implementation of standard scales of unit cost for personnel.

Furthermore, the new framework will allow for the participation of affiliated entities in funded projects to broaden the scope of research activities.

The foundation also intends to introduce the role of project manager for projects with funding exceeding €150,000 to ensure more rigorous oversight.