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Dear Rector,
Dear Vice Rector Dear Rector,
Dear members of the academic staff,
Dear students,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is an honour to stand before you today as the first President of Cyprus to visit this historic academic institution in the wonderful city of Brouges.
It is a privilege to have the opportunity to address the youth of Europe and, by definition, the future of Europe.
I would like to thank in particular the newly established Cypriot community of the College for the invitation to speak during the College's Cyprus National Week. As there are only five of you - for now, as I am sure this community will grow - let me thank them one by one: Chandogan, Joy, Emilia, Philippe and Stephanie.
Let me also express special thanks to my very good friend and true European, Dean Mogherini, for her vision for the College. Having worked closely with Federica during her tenure as High Representative, under difficult circumstances for our Union and Cyprus, I cannot say I am surprised by the continued growth of the College under her able leadership, including the opening of the new campus in Tirana.
My presence at the College is also timely. 2024 is a year marked by important moments and anniversaries for the Union and Cyprus. I stand before you as we approach the 20th anniversary of our accession to the European Union (EU). This is a historic milestone for Cyprus and the other EU Member States - and as I often say, it is Cyprus' most important achievement since its independence in 1960.
2024 also marks a sad anniversary for Cyprus and Europe, the 50th anniversary of the illegal Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and the continued military occupation of 37% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, EU territory.
At the same time, 2024 is a year of celebration of the cornerstone of our Union, democracy. The June elections for the new European Parliament are just around the corner. Some 366 million Europeans will be called to the polling stations. It is a moment of opportunity and reinvention for the EU.
Dear friends,
As a historian and former academic, most of the time my habit is to look to the past and draw lessons for the future. And as a politician, my job is to transform and translate these lessons offered by history to shape a course and policies for a better future for the Union and consequently for my country, Cyprus.
Let me start with the 20th anniversary of our accession to the EU. The historic fifth enlargement of May 2004 proved the power of the enlargement policy in the integration of the EU. It was an unprecedented and decisive moment for the future of ten countries located on the eastern and southern sides of Europe. And it fulfilled the dreams and aspirations of tens of millions of Europeans.
The Republic of Cyprus proudly joined the greatest, and in my opinion the most successful, peace project in the history of mankind. A project that has brought political stability, economic prosperity and social progress to hundreds of millions of people on a continent that in its recent past was ravaged by war.
Despite the serious challenges that the EU has faced in recent years, it continues to inspire the countries of the European continent and beyond, mainly because it has proven that it has historically healed divisions and wounds and that it is transformative. And it must deliver in this respect. It is to this unifying power of the Union that Cypriots look to as they seek to reunite the last divided member state.
In this respect, 2024 is an opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved and, above all, our obligation as member states to build on the work of the great European visionaries who laid the foundations and built this remarkable political project.
I firmly believe that our obligation, our duty to our predecessors and to future generations, is to fight in unity and solidarity for more Europe, for an ever stronger Europe, for greater integration. To ensure that this remarkable political project is strengthened and equipped to meet the challenges, both internal and external.
By being Member States of the Union, we have not only undertaken to safeguard and support the basic tenets of the Union: democracy, the rule of law, fundamental rights and freedoms, which we can never take for granted. We have also taken on the collective responsibility to gradually strengthen this integration project.
In a recent speech in Bucharest I reiterated my conviction that the European project has never been more valuable. And that we have never needed a stronger, more resilient and more competitive Union that is relevant to the daily lives of European citizens and present as a powerful global player in the geopolitical arena.
Undoubtedly in recent years as a Union we have had to overcome one crisis after another - from the economic crisis to the migrant crisis, Brexit, the pandemic and what we once thought was an invasion against a sovereign European country, Ukraine.
These crises have at times shaken our unity. And yet through it all we have remained united.
The pandemic was not the only unthinkable challenge we faced. We also had to face war on European soil. My generation grew up believing that the European peace project was not fragile. And yet on 24 February 2024 we woke up to a new geopolitical reality, with Ukraine, a sovereign European country, being invaded, its territorial integrity violated, international legitimacy shattered.
Cyprus, the victim of an illegal invasion and half a century of continuous occupation, stood firmly and unequivocally on the right side of history regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We stand and will continue to stand with Ukraine and its courageous people as they fight Russian aggression, which has effectively erased the notion that peace on the European continent is a given. Instead, it has shown that it must be protected and vigorously defended. And this can only be achieved if we stand united.
Standing on the right side of history has not come without a cost. We have made painful decisions that have come at a cost to our peoples and societies. But it is clearly a cost worth bearing. We will never allow border changes that come from violence and war."
At the same time, we have also realized that there are no frozen conflicts. The war plaguing the Middle East, in Europe's immediate neighbourhood, on the doorstep of Cyprus, is a tragic proof. The EU simply cannot afford not to have a strong voice and role in what happens in the Middle East, not only because it is an indispensable part of the EU as a strategic, global paragon, but also because what happens in the Middle East has a serious impact on Europe, from migration to security. Last Sunday, the visit of the President of the European Commission together with five heads of state, including Cyprus, for the historic signing of the EU-Egypt Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership is proof that the EU can and should play this role. For a long time, Cyprus has been fully aware of Egypt's critical role as a pillar of stability in the region and we have supported the development of a strategic partnership between the EU and Egypt. I am delighted that last Sunday this vision became a reality.
Dear friends,
The EU is "a peacemaking project in the service of life - when the world needs a force for peace". These words were spoken by Dean Mogherini a few years ago and are quite relevant to what is happening now in the Middle East.
In Cyprus we felt a strong moral obligation to deliver aid to the suffering Palestinian population in Gaza after the events that unfolded since 7 October with the violent attack by Hamas. We are therefore very pleased that after months of intensive diplomatic efforts and coordination with like-minded partners we have put the Amalthea Cyprus Maritime Corridor into operation with the first ships carrying humanitarian aid having arrived safely in Gaza. One ship has already successfully delivered aid to Gaza and another is en route to Gaza as we work hard with our partners - more than 40 states have expressed interest - to ensure the continued flow of aid to civilians.
It has been an effort that we have continued in full awareness of its immense difficulties. Fully aware that almost no one believed it could really be done/implemented. But as a small country, with no hidden agendas, a significant geographical position and excellent relations with all the countries in the region, we had a responsibility to pursue it. During these months, after the tragic events of October, Cyprus worked persistently and diligently. We met and discussed this proposal with all the parties concerned and we persevered. And I am very happy to say that with the support of the EU, the United States, the UAE and other countries we were able to make it a reality. An achievement for the whole EU and for the benefit of hundreds of thousands of people.
This is a manifestation of the role that the EU can play and the role that Cyprus can play as a bridge between the troubled Middle East region and the rest of Europe. The EU must be actively present in its neighbourhood and support all efforts for a sustainable ceasefire, which will hopefully lead to new negotiations on the basis of the UN Security Council resolutions for a two-state solution for Palestine and Israel.
In this geopolitical setting, in an ever-changing and complex geopolitical context that requires resilience, adaptability, strength and an unwavering commitment to core values and the ability to project and enforce them, it is imperative that we take a step back and reflect on what lies ahead for our Union.
What is our vision for the future of the EU?
What is the Union we want?
The discussions we are having in Brussels - and at the forthcoming European Council - on the strategic agenda of how to create a more geopolitical and strategically autonomous Union that is a global player are not theoretical. It must be demonstrated again and again in a concrete way.
In order to realise the EU's geopolitical role, we must first and foremost be able to rely on ourselves, without always depending on external, and to some extent unstable, actors. Therefore, the EU's strategic autonomy must not remain an abstract idea, but must take shape and become a reality. In this respect, building European defence at Union level can be a catalyst and is something we strongly support.
At the same time, the EU must deliver for its citizens, become more competitive, create job growth, become climate resilient and transform itself into a clean, resource-efficient and competitive economy. Cyprus will continue to contribute constructively to the consultations on the Future of Europe, the strategic agenda in view of its expected adoption by the European Council in June.
Dear friends,
I started my address by referring to the three important moments and anniversaries that coincide in 2024: the 20th anniversary of accession, the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion and the upcoming European elections. The thread running through them is the desire and vision for the future. For the Europe we want, for more integration, for more unity, which inevitably means that the EU must also become a catalyst for the reunification of its last divided member state through a comprehensive settlement in line with UN Security Council Resolutions and the acquis. A solution that guarantees the fundamental rights and freedoms of all Cypriots: Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Latins and Armenians.
In these reunification efforts, the EU's leading role is essential, as its substantial and active involvement can help to relaunch negotiations and achieve a solution to the Cyprus problem. As I have repeatedly stated, the tools at the EU's disposal can help to achieve a mutually beneficial situation for all Cypriot people, the EU, Turkey and the wider region.
Since taking office, I have been in constant contact with Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot civil society groups and representatives of youth networks. I am well aware that the young generation of the island, both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, ardently desire peace. And I think that the Cypriot society of the College of Europe is indeed a prime example, as it consists of members from both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. Your call for peace is clearly heard. And I will spare no effort to make the shared dream of reunification, peace and prosperity in Cyprus a reality.
Dear friends,
Cyprus' accession to the EU twenty years ago was a transformative event for the Republic of Cyprus and for the other nine Member States in 2004. The then new Member States also contributed significantly to the development and improvement of the ever closer Union, our common European family. This was mainly done by younger people, students and young professionals who aspired to embrace their European identity. I can also confirm, as a younger person at the time, the extremely positive feelings of Cypriots, but especially of Cypriot youth, when Cyprus joined the EU. It was a unique moment, full of positivity, expectations and dreams for a better future for all and youth was the driving force to fully capture this momentum.
Twenty years later it is now your turn, the youth of Europe, the future of Europe, to dream, to hope, but also to try to help bring our European family closer and closer together.
Thank you.
(GA)
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