Cyprus presidency to be judged by trust, Raouna tells European parliament

The success of Cyprus’ EU council presidency will be measured by the trust it builds between institutions and the public, deputy minister for European affairs, Marilena Raouna told the European parliament on Tuesday.

Addressing MEPs at the start of Cyprus’s presidency, Raouna said the EU was facing a defining moment.

“It is becoming clear that we are a union of values and a union of the rule of law,” she said, describing this as “the European way”.

She told the committee that its work sits “where security meets freedom and politics meets citizens’ rights”, stressing that EU action must remain grounded in democracy and accountability.

Rauna warned that European democracies are under growing pressure from “foreign interference, cyberattacks and hybrid operations” aimed at undermining trust in institutions, media freedom and social cohesion.

“More than ever, we must stand firm in our values,” she said.

Referring to her participation earlier in the day in a special session for international Holocaust remembrance day, Rauna said it was “a heartbreaking reminder of what happens when democracy and the rule of law fail”.

She underlined that the rule of law is also essential for the functioning of the single market.

“Without respect for the rule of law, common values, fair competition and legal certainty, the single market simply cannot function,” she said.

Raouna highlighted the symbolic weight of Cyprus holding the presidency as the EU’s only divided member state.

“We know from lived experience what insecurity and the violation of fundamental freedoms and human rights mean in everyday life,” she said, calling the situation “devastating”.

On institutional priorities, Rauna said Cyprus would push to strengthen the rule of law by building on the annual rule of law cycle and ongoing Article 7 procedures.

She confirmed that further dialogues with member states would continue in the coming months.

A high-level conference on the rule of law will be held in Nicosia on May 6, with the European parliament invited to participate.

On the Article 7 procedure against Hungary, Raouna said a new hearing would take place at the general affairs council in June.

She also placed emphasis on legislative simplification, saying the presidency would work with the parliament to ensure EU rules are “simpler, proportionate and easier to implement”, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises.

In closing, Raouna told MEPs that outcomes would go beyond legislative progress.

 “The success of the Cyprus Presidency will not be judged only by the files that will be closed, but by the trust that will be built between institutions, member states and citizens.”