Speaking at a press conference for the Deputy Ministry of Shipping’s 2025 annual report in Limassol, Hadjimanolis said the closure of the straits had become a matter of major concern for global shipping, particularly because of the risks facing seafarers stranded in the area.
She said the passage is one of the world’s most critical maritime energy corridors and also important for agricultural trade, adding that the government and the deputy ministry had been closely monitoring developments from the outset.
“At the moment, as you know, the straits are essentially closed,” she said, adding that ship movements were very limited.
Hadjimanolis said there are an estimated 1,000 ships and 20,000 seafarers in the wider area, while Cyprus has issued recommendations since the first day of the crisis for vessels operating both there and in other vulnerable zones, including the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
From “large metropolises to smaller member states”, she said, the rising cost of housing is “testing the resilience of households, intensifying social inequalities and limiting the ability of young people to plan their future with security and perspective”.
Cyprus, she added, “is no exception to this European reality”.
The housing problem, according to Isidorou, “has been affecting a large part of society for years, especially young people and young families, creating an environment of insecurity and uncertainty”.
For the association, she said, addressing the issue is “a particularly important priority”. Through “documented proposals, cooperation with the state and the competent bodies”, the association is seeking “to formulate realistic and sustainable solutions that respond to the real needs of society”.
Cyprus’ real estate sector is entering a period of transformation, according to Yiannis Misirlis, chairman of the Cyprus Property Developers Association, and CEO of Imperio Group.
Misirlis explained that “property development is no longer simply about constructing buildings or tracking investment flows, but increasingly about shaping the country’s economic, social and urban future”.
That shift was evident in his address at the 20th annual Real Estate, Property Development & Construction Summit, where Misirlis noted that, for decades, the real estate sector had been one of the defining engines of the Cypriot economy, although its role is now evolving.
Property development, he said, is no longer simply about constructing buildings or tracking investment flows. Instead, it is increasingly about shaping “the economic, social and urban future of the country”.
Nicolaou, who leads an association affiliated with the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve), joined a panel discussing the Limassol real estate market over the next decade.
The discussion focused on developments and prospects in Limassol’s property market, emphasising the main trends shaping the sector and the challenges and opportunities expected in the coming years.
Participants examined issues concerning the dynamics of Limassol’s real estate market, the trajectory of the luxury development sector in residential and commercial properties, and the sources of demand from local and international buyers.
The central bank said the trend also reflects a gradual rise in housing supply and construction costs remaining at historically high levels, with these factors confirmed through internal econometric analysis.
During the fourth quarter of 2025, the general House Price Index (HPI) recorded a quarter-on-quarter increase of 2.3 per cent, compared with 1.2 per cent in the third quarter.
This was driven by a 3 per cent increase in apartment prices and a 1.2 per cent rise in house prices over the same period.
“The loss of the Russian tourism market due to European Union restrictions has caused losses in Cyprus of more than €1 billion annually, according to experts,” said the Russian ambassador in comments to Russian news agency TASS.
“Tourists from the Russian Federation continue to be eagerly awaited in Cyprus,” he said.
“They are eagerly awaited by hotel owners, restaurant operators and other businesses in the services sector and leisure industry,” he added.
The ambassador said these businesses “sincerely wish for the return of a large flow of Russian tourists“.
The event, titled the Green Business Innovation Challenge, is being organised as part of the European SUSTAINET project under the Erasmus+ initiative.
This specific project seeks to bolster the green transition and promote sustainable entrepreneurship across the region.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be brought together with experts, mentors, and key stakeholders from the sustainability ecosystem to develop innovative green solutions.
The January 2026 Bank Lending Survey found that lending criteria for all categories remained unchanged during the final three months of last year.
Criteria for loans to enterprises have now remained at their strictest levels since the second quarter of 2024.
For households, the credit standards have stayed at the tightest levels reached in the fourth quarter of 2023.
In a statement issued at the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) 36th extraordinary council meeting, Kazakos said the attacks pose “an unacceptable threat” to the safety of international shipping.
He added that they undermine the stability of global trade and place “innocent seafarers at grave risk”.
The meeting was held to address the impact on shipping and crews of the situation in the Arabian Sea, the Sea of Oman and the Gulf region, particularly in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
Kazakos said the attacks “have resulted in fatalities and caused serious injury to seafarers”. He added that around 20,000 remain trapped in the affected area.
The company emphasised that women remain significantly underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, despite growing global demand for skilled professionals.
It noted that only around 30 per cent of researchers worldwide are women, underlining the persistent gap in participation across high-growth sectors.
Chevron Cyprus stressed that achieving gender equality requires equal access to education, resources and career opportunities, particularly in fields that are shaping the future economy.
The bank said its board of directors will convene on March 30, 2026, to examine the audited financial statements for the Bank of Cyprus Group.
The audited financial results will be announced on March 31, 2026 before market open, with disclosures to both the Athens Stock Exchange and the Cyprus Stock Exchange.
The announcement also confirmed that the final FY2025 financial results and annual financial report 2025 will be published on March 31, 2026, reflecting an amended publication date.
The figures showed that 47.3 per cent of electricity in the EU came from renewable energy sources in 2025, marking a slight increase from 47.2 per cent in 2024.
The data highlights Cyprus’ position among the lowest-performing countries in renewable electricity generation, underscoring ongoing challenges in expanding green energy capacity.
While the country’s overall renewable share was not specified, it generated 88.767 gigawatt-hours of electricity from renewable sources in December 2025, compared with 1,836.866 gigawatt-hours in Greece over the same period.
The study, conducted by Oceana, revealed overwhelming concern over weak enforcement of fisheries rules, declining fish stocks, and the future viability of the profession.
According to the findings, 96 per cent of fishers said national government support is insufficient to address the challenges facing fisheries.
At the same time, 72 per cent identified stock declines or a lack of fish as their main challenge, highlighting the growing pressure on marine resources.
This decision was made in accordance with the provisions of the Macroprudential Oversight of Institutions Laws of 2015 to 2022.
The regulatory body deemed it appropriate to maintain the current rate based on its latest assessment of market conditions.
The countercyclical buffer is a macroprudential tool used by regulators to ensure that banks accumulate sufficient capital during periods of economic growth.
The statistical office reported that only 21 per cent of internet users in Cyprus took an online course or used online learning materials during the year.
Across the European Union, 34.8 per cent of internet users reported taking an online course or using online learning materials, marking a 1.4 percentage point increase from 33.4 per cent in 2024.
The figures also show a substantial rise since 2019, when less than a quarter of EU internet users, 21.4 per cent, had engaged in online education.
The milestone highlights Cyprus’ growing presence in the global gaming investment sector, with the firm’s portfolio now featuring five titles ranked among the 150 most wishlisted games on Steam.
Among the titles currently appearing in Steam’s top 150 are Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era ranked at number 11 and ILL ranked at number 17, placing both games among the twenty most wishlisted titles on the platform.
Other projects in the top rankings include Replaced at number 31, Atomic Heart 2 at number 100, and The CUBE at number 137.
Together with additional titles currently in development, the company said the overall portfolio has now accumulated more than 5 million wishlists on Steam.
The event took place while the FDI HN (Belharra) “Kimon” (F-601) was docked in Limassol for refuelling, following an invitation from Vice Admiral Ioannis Kizanis, R.E., commander of the vessel.
In a separate reference to the ceremony, Cyprus Union of Shipowners (CUS) president Polys Hajioannou said he had the honour of attending, together with other members of the association, following the invitation to be present on board during the consecration.
He said the presence of the ultra-modern Greek frigate “Kimon”, alongside the frigate “Psara”, underlined the contribution of Greece and the Hellenic Navy to strengthening the defence and security of the Republic of Cyprus at a time of heightened military tensions in the wider Middle East.
The presentation, which took place on Wednesday, was delivered by CEO Mike Charalambous, who introduced the company’s new Product Brain for the Agentic Web.
The it was described as an end-to-end infrastructure enabling products online to become discoverable by AI agents and suitable for training the next generation of robots.
The company said the presentation was very well received, adding that it will now seek to maximise and convert this unique exposure into further commercial momentum and strategic partnership opportunities.
These 13-week treasury bills belong to the third issue of Series 2026 and cover the period from March 20, 2026, to June 19, 2026.
Each of the individual securities carries a nominal value of €1000, resulting in a total issuance value of €50,000,000.
According to the announcement, the new non-executive member holds a BSc in Economics and Social Studies in Business Administration from the University of Wales.
Her academic background also includes an MA in Economics of Public Policy from the University of Leicester and an MPhil in Business Studies via research in Finance from City University Business School.
This regulatory move follows an initial request submitted by the investment firm on March 3, 2026, to restructure its equity capital.
The new securities are being issued as a direct result of a reduction in the nominal value of each share, which has been subdivided from €30.00 down to €1.00.
The figures showed that hourly labour costs rose by 3.3 per cent in the euro area and 3.7 per cent in the EU compared with the same quarter of the previous year.
Across the EU, Cyprus recorded a wage cost increase of 2.7 per cent, placing it among the lowest-performing member states alongside Germany.
Only a handful of countries posted weaker growth, with France at 1.1 per cent, Italy at 2.3 per cent, Denmark at 2.5 per cent and Finland at 2.6 per cent, while Malta recorded a decline of 3.9 per cent.
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