Cyprus’ EU presidency ‘flagship event’ for EBU-CyBC

Cyprus’ presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2026 will be a “flagship event” in the context of European and Cypriot public broadcasting, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Thursday.

Addressing the 92nd European Broadcasting Union (EBU) directors’ general assembly in Limassol, Christodoulides said he had “first-hand experience of the professional standard held by the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC) as well as the EBU personnel” during Cyprus’ first EU presidency in 2012.

“Therefore, we look to you as valuable partners,” he said.

CyBC, he said, has an important role to play in Cyprus and the diaspora and has been “an active EBU member since 1969, when the world was a much simpler place, when television was still a luxury good and information was a privilege reserved for the few”.

Describing the EBU as the world’s leading alliance of public service media, the president said he looked forward “to your insight on your planned actions to address the enormous challenges in the evolving media field”.

Christodoulides referred especially to technological advances that are “a double edge sword” and the “affliction of fake news and the manipulation of public opinion”.

“In this crucial and highly creative field of the media, the role of public broadcasting remains prominent as its primary task is to provide quality information and entertainment to the public,” he stressed.

Referring to the CyBC in this environment, the president said the government provides it with the means to operate autonomously, without any intervention.

“The CyBC is far more than television and radio. It is an institution which predates the independence and establishment of the Republic of Cyprus and has been broadcasted all of the country’s milestones over the past decades,” he added.

Regarding the EU presidency, he said he was very well aware of the excellent work that is done on a European level through the EBU as well as of the excellent services it offers, particularly in matters relating to European activities.

“In this framework, the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2026, will be a flagship event,” he said.