Cyprus will resolve all technical issues required to join the Schengen Area by 2025, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Friday.
Speaking at the “Beyond Sea and Sun” tourism conference organized by Hermes Airports in Nicosia, he said Cyprus and Ireland are the only EU member states that are still the Schengen area, and its inclusion will be good for tourism and investments.
“We have addressed all political concerns regarding the ceasefire line and are now working out the technical details required for accession,” he told Tom Ellis, editor in chief at Kathimerini English Edition, adding that a dedicated team at the foreign ministry is overseeing this process.
Christodoulides also announced that the country is in the final stages of lifting the US visa requirement for Cypriot travellers. A US delegation is expected to visit Cyprus soon, with announcements forthcoming.
He also said that tourism is affected by policies that generally concern the economy, employment, education and culture.
“I consider it important to have strong relations with all neighboring states [which] are a source of tourism,” he said mentioning Israel, noting however that there was a problem with tourists from Israel who landed in Larnaca and then travelled to the Turkish-occupied northern part o the island.
“Through our political relations we managed to significantly reduce the flow to the occupied territories,” he told the conference.