Huginn Daily

Tuesday, July 7, 2026

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• European youth programme tackles domestic violence

  European Erasmus+ initiative Youth United Against Domestic Violence is currently under way, bringing together young people from different countries to raise awareness and prevent domestic violence.

  The programme, running from until July 8, helps participants understand the causes and effects of domestic abuse through workshops, group activities and discussions.

  A key focus is on developing skills like communication, cooperation and empathy, while encouraging recognition of early signs of violence.

  Participants are engaging with institutions involved in human rights and victim protection, including the commissioners for gender equality and children’s rights, as well as Cyprus police representatives.

  The initiative also aims to familiarise young people with support services and reporting mechanisms for effective responses to incidents.

  It promotes international cooperation and intercultural dialogue, strengthening European values such as solidarity, equality and respect.

  Empowering young people is essential for creating safer, more inclusive societies and improving long-term prevention of domestic violence across Europe.

• Cyprus’ buffer zone remains fragile, UNSG warns in Unficyp report

  United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns in his latest report on Unficyp that the situation in Cyprus’ buffer zone remains fragile, with particular concern over the Pyla plateau, military activity along the ceasefire lines, Varosha, unauthorised civilian activity, and threats to peacekeepers.

  In observations released on Monday night, the UNSG welcomed the “recent positive engagement by the leaders with regard to the political process,” adding that “the regularity in which the leaders have met during the reporting period is also encouraging”.

  However, he said he regrets that “no progress has been made” in response to his “repeated calls for the sides to de-escalate the growing military modernisation along the respective ceasefire lines and to reverse their actions in and around the buffer zone”.

  He urged both sides “to cease their military construction violations,” warning that these actions “in effect seek to permanently alter the military status quo of the buffer zone”.

  Guterres was especially critical of the “policy of deliberately blurring the distinction between military and civilians by concealing military positions within civilian structures,” which he described as “a serious concern”.

  He also said that actions seeking “to advance military positions or otherwise alter facts on the ground” are “equally concerning,” stressing that “invoking the imbalance of forces on the island cannot justify violations.”

  He reiterated his call, as well as that of the Security Council, for both sides “to explore mechanisms for direct military contact” and encouraged them “to actively pursue avenues for dialogue with the facilitation of Unficyp”.

  “In their efforts to promote closer cooperation between the communities, local and international actors continue to be confronted with challenges and obstacles linked to the status of the north and concerns relating to “recognition”. While the United Nations policy is unchanged and decisions of the Security Council on the matter are strictly upheld, I reiterate that concerns about recognition should not in themselves constitute an obstacle to increased cooperation,” he said.

  On Pyla the report is particularly direct. “The situation on the Pyla/Pile plateau remains of deep concern,” the UNSG said, reiterating “the need for all parties to respect and abide by the United Nations’ impartial delineation of the buffer zone — the only delineation recognised by the Security Council”.

  While Unficyp “plays an essential role in de-escalating tensions and in safeguarding the integrity of the buffer zone,” he noted that its ability “to curb unauthorised activity is limited without the full cooperation of the sides.” He stressed that “the sides have the responsibility to respect the integrity of the buffer zone and the UN’s mandated authority therein”.

  The report also contained a strong message on the safety of UN personnel. “Threats towards Unficyp peacekeepers are unacceptable,” Guterres said, calling on the Republic of Cyrus “to investigate the incident of armed hunters jeopardising the safety and security of peacekeepers,” as well as to follow up on accountability measures related to “the actions of the alien and immigration unit towards UN personnel during the 2024 pushbacks of asylum seekers into the buffer zone.”

  On Varosha, he reiterated concerns over “the situation in the fenced-off area” and “the lack of response to the Security Council’s call for a reversal of the actions taken since the announcement of the partial reopening of the fenced-off town in October 2020.”

  He also “deplored” restrictions on Unficyp’s freedom of movement “in Varosha, in Strovilia and elsewhere,” stressing that the mission’s mandate “is not limited to the buffer zone but extends to the entire island”.

  The Committee on Missing Persons also featured prominently in the report. During the reporting period, eight teams of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot scientists carried out bicommunal excavations across the island and identified seven individuals as missing persons. Since the Committee began operations in 2006, it has “exhumed or received the remains of 1,718 persons on both sides of the island”. Of the 2,002 missing persons on its official list, 1,076 have been formally identified.

  The report said 14 identifications were made during this period, 13 of them from the official list, while “the remains of two missing persons were returned to their families for dignified burials”.

  On civilian activity and law and order, Unficyp continued to manage authorised civilian activity while curbing unauthorised access in the buffer zone “to prevent possible security tensions.” 

  Farming activity in Avlona resurfaced as a flashpoint. The report said that in several instances, Turkish forces “moved forward in the buffer zone” to protest two Greek Cypriot farmers whom they claimed were cultivating too close to the northern ceasefire line.

  It also said Turkish forces challenged the delineation of the buffer zone and intervened when Unficyp requested Turkish Cypriot farmers leave an area they had used for cultivation without authorisation.

  Unauthorised hunting also remained a serious concern. The report said hunting incidents involving firearms in the buffer zone continued “with high frequency” despite repeated Unficyp protests to the Republic of Cyprus. As of May 31, a total of 33 incidents had been recorded, including cases where shots were fired near UN personnel and premises. On February 15, three Greek Cypriot individuals “displayed intimidating behaviour and fired shots above peacekeepers, endangering their safety.”

  The report added that demarches to ensure accountability “have not been successful thus far.”

  On public order, Unficyp worked with both police services on May 1 to maintain order during a large bicommunal May Day march in the buffer zone, with over 1,200 participants from both communities.

  The Joint Contact Rooms, facilitated by Unficyp under the Technical Committee on Crime and Criminal Matters, continued to support “regular information exchange” and serve as “effective coordination mechanisms.” In Pyla, however, criminality linked to “11 illegal casinos and 1 nightclub persisted”.

  On the prevention of fighting and the military status quo, Unficyp recorded 166 military violations as of May 31: of which 46 were by the National Guard and 120 by the Turkish forces. The number represented a slight increase from the previous reporting period, though it remained “significantly lower than 2023 and 2024”.

  The report also highlighted the continuing installation of military-grade surveillance systems along the buffer zone. The National Guard added two new camera/sensor devices, bringing its total to 30 devices on 34 surveillance towers. 

  Turkish forces installed five new devices, bringing their total to 71 devices on 64 towers. The report said these systems “remain a major concern for Unficyp” because they contribute to “the long-term militarisation along the buffer zone” and have “a potential destabilizing effect.”

  In Varosha, however, the report said “no steps were taken” to address the Security Council’s call for the immediate reversal of actions taken since October 2020. Unficyp observed renovations, roadworks, more CCTV cameras, recurring commercial drone overflights, and the addition of four prefabricated concrete firing positions to a trench and berm system built by Turkish forces south of the built-up area of Varosha.

  Due to reduced resources, Unficyp adjusted patrolling patterns and increased joint, intelligence-led patrols focused on recurring hotspots. Liquidity constraints had a concrete impact, including a hiring freeze, temporary limits on aviation, deferred acquisitions, reduced training and constraints on official travel.

  The report warned that limitations on air assets affected the mission’s ability to conduct comprehensive aerial surveillance, noting that rotary-wing aviation remains “critical for early detection, situational awareness, and verification of violations”.

  In significant developments, the report says the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy continued efforts toward a peaceful resolution of the Cyprus issue. The Personal Envoy travelled to Cyprus in January and June 2026 and met both President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman.

  The report also described the buffer zone as fragile, especially in Pyla, where Turkish Cypriot “police” imposed access restrictions from early February and detained, briefly, a Greek Cypriot individual. Tensions peaked on April 15, when Turkish Forces amassed a convoy of 15 armoured personnel vehicles on the northern ceasefire line and overmanned a nearby observation post with around 20 soldiers. As of the report’s writing, the situation was “calm but delicate.”

  The Secretary-General said in conclusion that it is “essential” that UN intergovernmental organs continue to support the mission with “adequate and predictable resources,” and expresses gratitude to Unficyp personnel for their “steadfast commitment” to the mandate and “the cause of peace on the island.”

• Shacolas funeral held in Nicosia 

  Relatives, friends and politicians gathered for the funeral of businessman Nikos Shacolas in Strovolos on Monday. 

  Among the attendees were President Nikos Christodoulides, House president Annita Demetriou and Archbishop Georgios, as well as party leaders. 

  The funeral tribute highlighted Shacolas’ distinguished business career, his contribution to society and his personal qualities, while also paying tribute to his devotion to his family.

  Speaking on behalf of the family, his son, Marios Shacolas, thanked those who attended the funeral and expressed gratitude for the support shown during their time of loss.

• Stylianos’ behaviour reflected violence at home, court hears

  Defence attorneys on Monday grilled a nursery schoolteacher who had supervised the class of Stylianos Constantinou, the boy who took his own life at the age of 14.

  The case before Nicosia district court revolves around allegations of abuse and neglect within the family, as well as whether state services responded adequately to warning signs before the boy’s suicide in 2019.

  The witness was being cross-examined by the defendants’ attorneys. During an earlier hearing, the same witness described how Stylianos had once brought a knife to school.

  The teacher had supervised Stylianos’ class in the 2009-2010 school year.

  The attorney for Stylianos’ mother, one of the defendants, submitted that the mother suffers from bipolar disorder. He asked the witness if she had noticed that the boy – then aged five – was suffering from the same.

  The witness said no.

  Next the attorney submitted that Stylianos’ aggressive behaviour could have been due to factors other than his home environment. Responding, the teacher said it was possible, but in her opinion the boy’s behaviour could best be explained by him being exposed to domestic violence.

  The witness was then cross-examined by the attorney for another defendant, a social worker.

  She was asked whether she had reported the boy’s case to her superiors or to a trained psychologist. The witness was also challenged that she had not “taken an interest” early on.

  Responding, the teacher said she learned of Stylianos’ problems after November 2009, and that she notified a special committee around February/March of 2010.

  Directly challenging the witness, the defence attorney told her she was derelict in her duties. At this point, prosecutors objected. The judge ordered the remarks struck from the record.

  Next the attorney asked the teacher why in March 2010 she had disagreed with a proposal to let Stylianos stay in nursery school for an extra year.

  She replied that she felt Stylianos would have found better support in primary school – such as an escort and speech therapy classes not available in nursery.

  On one occasion, the witness told the court, she had told Stylianos to be careful not to hurt himself.

  According to her, the boy said: “I want to fall so I can die”.

  At other times, Stylianos had also reportedly said “I will shoot you” and “I will send you to jail” – language which the witness thought the boy had picked up at home.

  The boy committed suicide in September 2019, having earlier attempted to take his own life in May of the same year.

  The trial continues on Tuesday with the prosecution summoning to the stand a different witness.

• Akel slams govt over criminal investigators

  Opposition party Akel on Monday criticised the government for the appointment of independent investigators to probe the anti-corruption authority’s findings in their Mafia State report.

  “The government either does not realise or is pretending not to realise the fiasco surrounding its appointment of criminal investigators regarding the anti-corruption authority’s findings and the Mafia State scandal,” Akel said.

  Referring to the recent resignation of Christos Mylonopoulos from its five-member panels of investigators, over what Akel said was a “backlash over conflict of interest” and his replacement by Ilias Anagnostopoulos, the party said that the decision did not only “fail to restore” but actually “exacerbate the crisis of credibility” surrounding the entire process.

  “President Christodoulides bears full responsibility. Instead of ensuring a criminal investigation beyond any shadow of a doubt, his choices cast even more doubt and reinforce concerns that an attempt is being made to cover up the very serious findings of the anti-corruption authority, which centre on his political mentor, Nikos Anastasiades,” Akel said.

  Responding to Akel’s statement, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said the party’s allegations would “publicly prejudge the outcome of an independent investigation” and “disparage individuals of recognised standing”, creating what he described as “unfair impressions based on insinuations.”

  “Those who invoke institutional credibility only when it serves their political interests cannot claim to uphold it,” he said.

  Letymbiotis accused Akel of trying to exploit a “legal and institutional” process for political reasons.

  “The institutional order does not function through shouting, insinuations and preconceived conclusions,” he said, adding that if Akel had specific evidence, it should be submitted to the relevant authorities for evaluation.

  “What cannot be accepted is the transformation of a serious investigative process into a partisan arena for creating public impressions,” he said.

  Letymbiotis reiterated that the government was fully supportive of a comprehensive investigation “without interference, without compromises”, stressing it was the “fundamental principle of a democracy that functions institutionally and not selectively.”

  “We fully respect the presumption of innocence, and for us, no one is above the law,” he said.

• Defence ministry, EAC sign deal for LED lights in army camps

  The electricity authority (EAC) and the defence ministry on Monday signed an agreement for 4,400 LED light bulbs to be installed in national guard camps across the island.

  The measure constitutes an integral component of the EAC’s strategy to enhance energy efficiency and achieve annual energy saving targets, as well as the adaptation measures of the defence ministry to protect the environment without compromising its operational readiness.

  The LEDs are expected to save more than 60 per cent of energy compared to existing lighting and reduce carbon dioxide emissions to support a broader green transition.

  According to the EAC, installation works will begin immediately with their completion expected in spring 2027.

  The agreement is the second part of a joint agreement between the EAC and the defence ministry through which 2,200 energy-intensive lighting fixtures were exchanged in 2022.

• 4,655 human rights complaints received in 2024

  A total of 4,655 complaints about human rights violations were received in 2024 by human rights commissioner Maria Stylianou-Lottides, she said on Monday handing her annual report over to President Nikos Christodoulides.

  According to the report, the office of the commissioner managed 2,507 new cases and closed a total of 2,709, an average of 260 cases per month.

  The report said this reflected both the “increased workload and the institution’s continued operational effectiveness.”

  The commissioner also presented the annual reports of both the equality and anti-discrimination agency and the national mechanism for the prevention of torture, which detail the most significant interventions carried out by the office in the areas of equality, combatting discrimination and the protection of individuals deprived of their liberty.

  Stylianou-Lottides stressed that the institution of the commissioner has evolved into a “multifaceted, independent human rights protection body” which, in addition to Lottides’ role as ombudswoman, now exercises seven distinct specialised powers derived from national, European, and international law.

  At the same time, she referenced the new mandate that the institution will assume as an independent fundamental rights mechanism within the framework of the new European pact on migration and asylum, which is set to independently monitor respect for fundamental rights during the implementation of control procedures at the EU’s external borders.

  The commissioner said that the Republic’s and the EU’s assignment of new responsibilities constitutes recognition of the institution’s credibility, independence and effectiveness, however adding that to fulfill its expanding mandate, the institution required to be strengthened with additional personnel and resources.

• Fourth arrest after Turkish Cypriot attacked in Ayia Napa

  An 18-year-old man was arrested on Monday as investigations continue into the attack of a 47-year-old Turkish Cypriot man in Ayia Napa on Sunday.

  He was arrested shortly after 2pm at Larnaca airport.

  The police have already arrested three other suspects, all aged 18 and of Swedish origin, who were facing charges of causing grievous bodily harm.

  They were remanded by Famagusta district court on Monday for eight days.

  The 47-year-old victim remains intubated at Nicosia general hospital.

  Political leaders in the north have condemned the attack.

• Doubt cast over legitimacy of police actions during Avakoum trial

  Doubt was cast on the legitimacy of police actions when documenting and cataloguing evidentiary items during the ongoing Avakoum monastery trial in the Nicosia criminal court on Monday.

  On trial are monks Nektarios and Porfyrios. They face charges including conspiracy to defraud, forgery and the use of false documents, theft by proxy, handling stolen goods, money laundering, interfering with judicial proceedings and submitting fraudulent tax returns.

  Both have pleaded not guilty.

  The case came to light after authorities discovered €800,000 in cash and uncovered alleged fake miracles and CCTV footage of prohibited sexual acts.

  Earlier during the trial, the defendants’ attorneys stated that on night of March 5, 2024, after the monastery had shut its gates, a number of individuals wearing hoods trespassed into the premises and removed various objects – which ended up at the Tamasos bishopric.

  The lawyers said these items subsequently came into the possession of the police. They called for a trial within a trial, seeking a court ruling that would rule if the items were obtained unlawfully.

  The court later rejected the motion for a trial within a trial.

  In court on Monday, lawyers for the defendants grilled a police officer who had taken photographs of various items at the Avakoum monastery as well as at Tamasos bishopric.

  The officer, the prosecution’s first witness, was being cross-examined on his activities on March 9 and March 13, 2024.

  The witness said that on March 9, as part of the police investigations, he went to the Tamasos bishopric to photograph various items of evidence. Most of the photos were taken inside a basement, where members of the police’s financial crimes department were also present.

  According to the witness, the items he photographed were pointed out to him by another officer. The items were then tagged and numbered. He did not recall who catalogued the items.

  Responding to another question, as to whether items were removed from two safes before they were photographed, again the officer said he did not recall.

  The pictures at the bishopric depict envelopes and wads of cash. The witness said the envelopes were opened in his presence, and then he would photograph the cash.

  Regarding the second batch of photographs, taken at the Avakoum monastery, the officer said these were taken at various spaces.

  Next the defence attorney asked the witness about the circumstances under which he and other officers gained entry to the monastery.

  The officer could not recall whether someone opened the gates for them or whether they had permission. In any case, he added, he was not in charge of such matters.

  In a follow-up question, the attorney asked the witness if at the time he personally saw a written authorisation from the two monks granting the police entry into the monastery, or if he was aware of an active search warrant. He did not recall.

  Also on Monday, prosecutors objected to a request by one of the monks for legal assistance. The defendant claims he cannot afford his legal fees.

  Lead prosecutor Vasilis Bissas cited a report by the welfare services showing that the monk works at a confectionary where he earns around €1,000 a month. In addition, he owns immovable property.

  Responding, the defendant said he has had steady employment for the last three months only, and that his expenses come to €700. As to his immovable property, he owns a parcel of land which cannot be easily sold.

  The court asked for more information on the defendant’s financial wherewithal before ruling on his request for legal assistance.

  The trial continues on Wednesday.

• ‘Mafia State report should not have gone to police and cabinet’

  The report, witness testimonies and evidence of the investigation into the Mafia State book should not have been handed over to the cabinet and the police, lawyer representing Makarios Drousiotis, the book’s author, Lito Kariolou said on Monday.

  Speaking on state television, Kariolou said the handing over of all the investigation material by the Legal Council which was set up to administer the case after the recusal of the attorney-general and the deputy attorney-general “constitutes an institutional collapse.”

  She said that the Legal Council, made up of senior counsel from the Legal Service, received the content of the investigation, including evidence and minutes, and gave this in its entirety plus all other documents to the police and the Council of Ministers.

  “When we are talking about the paralysis of the institutions, this is what we mean,” she told the state broadcaster.

  “The inspecting officers secured valuable testimony from persons that had never testified to the Cyprus police before and who possibly were not prepared to testify before the police.”

  Asked whether she feared that testimony and witness statements could be leaked by police, she said “the police are involved; in several chapters of the investigation, we had serious problems with actions of the police.”

  She was of the view that the cabinet should not have been given the report either.

  “The witnesses testified only after being given clear assurances from the inspecting officers that the procedure would remain absolutely confidential,” she said. Kariolou never explained how she knew that these assurances of absolute confidentiality had been given to people who appeared before the investigative committee.

  She said she had a “huge problem” with the Council of Ministers also having the investigation report in its entirety.

  “In this way and the administering of the matter, witnesses and testimony were exposed irreparably to possible dangers. Witness testimony that should have been protected, has been exposed for half a month, at the mercy of suspects.”

  She also believed that President Nikos Christodoulides should have stayed out of the procedure completely, as he had served as a minister in the Anastasiades government, gave testimony to the investigating committee and publicly said that he had a met the late Andreas Vgenopoulos, the Greek banker, behind alleged briberies.

  “President Christodoulides takes part in the decision for the appointment of investigators,” said Kariolou, pointing out that the problem was “institutional, not personal.”

  Why had the president not used the same criteria of impartiality used by the AG and deputy AG, she asked. “For what reason had Mr Christodoulides not recused himself? We are at an impasse.”

  The only way out of this impasse for Kariolou was a suggestion made by another lawyer. He proposed that the Transparency Commissioner who was in charge of the Mafia State investigation be given the authority to appoint criminal investigators and take charge of the criminal investigation next week.

  This is easier said than done, because the law must be changed to give the power to the anti-corruption authority to carry out a criminal investigation.

  The authority in June found that former president Nicos Anastasiades, as well as others, may be criminally liable, following the conclusion of its investigation into allegations made against him and others by Drousiotis.

• Targeted police action finds no evidence of human trafficking

  Cyprus police participated in the global operation against human trafficking called Global Chain during which a total of 1,024 arrests were made across five continents, it announced on Monday.

  In Cyprus, 17 operations were carried out at various locations, including bars and apartments, but no victims of human trafficking were identified.

  The four-day operation began on June 8 and was carried out with the support of Europol in an attempt to combat human trafficking for sexual exploitation, begging or other forced crimes.

  A total of 59 countries participated in the operation, which resulted in the identification of 2,010 potential victims and the arrest of 1,024 suspects, around a third of whom are suspected of being involved in human trafficking cases.

  A further 201 suspects were identified for offences related to human trafficking.

  The investigation revealed that the vast majority of victims are adult women, with 64.2 per cent trafficked for sexual exploitation, 20.9 per cent for other forced criminal activities, 11.3 per cent for forced labour and 2.1 per cent for other forms of exploitations.

  Moreover, the investigations found that 86.4 per cent of underage victims were trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

  Police identified victims of human trafficking from a total of 45 countries of origin, the majority of which were from Latin America, led by Colombia.

  Other countries included Argentina, Venezuela, Nepal and Moldova.

  Trafficking was reported to be taking place across borders in all of these countries, which demonstrates the international nature of human trafficking networks.

  As part of the international investigations, checks were carried out on 140,737 vehicles, 20,342 properties, 6,133 flights and 565,470 individuals.

• Cyprus peacekeepers awarded UN medals

  United Nations medals were given to 107 peacekeepers on Monday, honouring their service in Cyprus, the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (Unficyp) said.

  The peacekeepers come from Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Pakistan, Slovakia and the United Kingdom.

  Unficyp was established in 1964 following intercommunal violence between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. It is one of the longest running UN peacekeeping missions, and its mandate was renewed by the UN Security Council most recently in January.

  It has patrolled the Green Line buffer zone since 1974.

  As of April, Unficyp has 924 total deployed peacekeeping personnel. The uniformed military personnel primarily come from Argentina, the UK and Slovakia, though over a dozen other countries contribute to the military and police presence.

• Cyprus’ EU presidency honours sponsors

  Cyprus’ EU presidency served as an opportunity for unity around a common vision, Deputy European Affairs Minister Marilena Raouna said on Monday, honouring the sponsors who contributed to making it all happen.

  Raouna said Cyprus’ EU presidency journey started two-and-a-half years ago.

  “From the first moment, we were conscious of the unique opportunity presented … which holds particular importance for a member state such as Cyprus, with its unique characteristics, being one of the smallest EU members, a member state that is an integral part of the broader Middle East region, and of course the last member state under occupation,” she said.

  She furthermore pointed out that Cyprus’ civil service on the island and in Brussels, as well as all diplomatic missions, were involved in the presidency, which included the whole society, young people and schools.

  Director of the presidency’s secretariat Demetris Mavrommatis said the civil service, society and the economy as a whole contributed to a successful EU presidency.

  “The organisations and businesses we are honouring today, as well as all the other sponsors that supported the presidency, did not limit themselves to providing goods or services, but contributed their know-how, reliability and trust in a national effort with a strong European dimension,” he added.

  The two major sponsors – Cyta and Ayia Napa Marina – as well as the two golden sponsors – EKO Cyprus and Coca-Cola HBC Cyprus – received honorary plaques and diplomas.

  Cyta provided network services, mobile and electronic devices, while Ayia Napa Marina offered all indoor and outdoor installations for presidency events.

  EKO Cyprus supported the presidency by providing fuel and car cleaning services for the vehicles used for the presidency, and Coca-Cola HBC Cyprus offered bottled water and soft drinks during high level meetings and other events.

• Cyprus launches online system for residence permit renewals

  A new digital service for the renewal of residence permits for third-country nationals is now operational, the deputy ministry of migration and the deputy ministry of innovation announced on Monday.

  The platform allows eligible foreign nationals legally residing in Cyprus to submit renewal applications online, along with the required supporting documents.

  It is also available to employers applying on behalf of staff, as well as authorised representatives such as law firms and organisations.

  The system handles renewal applications for various categories, including permits for salaried and domestic work, foreign company employees, family reunification and long-term residence.

  Authorities clarified that the service only covers renewals and does not include first-time applications.

  Users can electronically complete and submit applications, upload documents, track progress, pay fees online, and select a service point for later steps, including permit collection.

  In-person attendance is still required for certain tasks, such as biometric data collection and signature verification.

  The government aims to streamline procedures and reduce delays with the digital system.

  Once fully implemented, it will manage around 73 per cent of renewal applications in these categories and up to 25 per cent of all residence permit applications, including new and renewal cases.

  This initiative is part of broader efforts to modernise public services and enhance efficiency through digital transformation in migration management.

  The website can be found here

• Over 18,000 reports of violence in Cyprus since 2021

  A total of 18,409 cases of violence against women and domestic violence were reported from 2021 till June 2026, chief of police Themistos Arnaoutis said on Monday.

  He was addressing the House human rights committee, pointing out that these complaints led to 3,674 arrests, 2,858 restriction orders and 373 victim protection orders.

  The committee met to discuss the implementation through national law of the Istanbul Convention to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence, following the recent femicides on the island.

  Justice Minister Constantinos Fitiris pointed out that the authorities should respond immediately on receiving a complaint.

  Fitiris said that earlier on Monday he himself had received a message on Messenger from an unknown woman who said she was in danger from her ex-husband, who was threatening her.

  “I immediately passed it on to the responsible police office,” Fitiris said.

  The minister said emphasis would be given on acting immediately to complaints, by activating a special force, which will investigate and prevent any danger.

  This, he said, was “very important”.

  Committee chairman and Akel MP Christos Christofides described gender-based violence and femicides as a “complex issue” and called for the implementation of the national strategy on violence against women.

  He spoke of “gaps that exist in terms of controlling the ability of those who carry weapons to maintain their weapons under their responsibility” and emphasised the need for a continuous reevaluation of owners of hunting weapons and police officers.

  He added that a plan of the required legislative initiatives, accompanied by a clear implementation timetable, has already been requested.

  “We must finally stop in this state from saying that such and such a thing needs to be changed in the legislation and then meet again after several years and repeat the same thing,” he said.

  Christofides stressed that further delays would not be tolerated.

  Gender equality commissioner Josie Christodoulou underlined that equality was intertwined with the fight against gender-based violence.

  The issue came to the forefront last week when a police officer went to work, took his service gun, met his wife and shot and injured her critically, before committing suicide.

  A couple of days earlier, a 38-year-old woman was allegedly stabbed by her former husband and was taken to hospital. The woman’s 58-year-old mother was also allegedly attacked in the same incident.

  The House human rights committee will meet again at the end of August or in early September to reassess the situation.

• From rolling his piano around the Alps to the Minthis Music Festival

  How did a musician go from strapping wheels onto his piano and rolling it to parks in the Alps to being signed to Sony Classical and touring the world? Pianist and composer Florian Christl speaks with excitement and depth, and his love for music is easy to spot. Currently touring Europe with his ensemble, the Munich-based pianist has established himself as one of Europe’s leading contemporary composers.

  His music has taken him to prestigious concert halls around the world (and parks, but more later), sharing his vast sonic landscapes with delicate piano lines and powerful string orchestrations. On Wednesday, July 8, he will play the captivating landscapes of rural Paphos as he steps onto the stage of the Minthis Amphitheatre to kick off the venue’s 2026 festival, which will run for five evenings until July 12.

  “I am very excited to inaugurate the Minthis Music Festival 2026,” he says. “It will be my first time ever in Cyprus and playing my music in this beautiful setting of the festival. I cannot wait!”

  Along with his ensemble, Christl will perform a selection of his own compositions from the programme of his Resonance tour. His music had filled my home in the days before we spoke. One moment, gentle piano melodies drift through the room; the next, dynamic strings take over.

  “My music embodies both,” he says. “It is contemporary, but with a deep connection to the Romantic period.

  “I love gentle pieces where you simply follow the harmony and melody, but I also love to play music which has energy in it. Other times, I write music which is just fun to play. I think if we have fun playing the music, it will definitely be fun for the audience to listen to.”

  Whether he’s performing at Konzerthaus Berlin, the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg or an amphitheatre beneath the Cypriot sky, Christl says the setting always becomes part of the performance. “I never play a piece exactly the same way twice, because that’s not a goal I pursue. I try to engage with the occasion or environment, absorb the mood and shape the music accordingly. The music is always in flux. When one becomes aware of this, a piece can be brought to life in any given situation. It is not about adapting the repertoire, but adapting how to perform the music.”

  Perhaps these realisations come from his early career when Christl strapped wheels onto his piano to roll it to unassuming locations for impromptu public performances. “I built a wagon and strolled my old piano around everywhere. I pushed it to the Alps, on mountains, in beautiful parks. I was always looking for special places where people won’t expect a piano.”

  The experience, he says, taught him a lot about how people interact with music but also how to make music resonate in different situations. This love for music appeared at an early age, but the piano was not the first instrument to charm him.

  “I didn’t really choose the piano by myself. I somehow got into it by mistake, and I’m very happy about that,” he laughs. “I wanted to learn the accordion, but before I was allowed to start, I had to learn the very first musical steps – the scales, how to read notes – on the piano.”

  From his first piano lessons at six, he decided that music was the path for him. He later learned the accordion as well and is now taking drum lessons. “The more you know about instruments, the more you learn about music. And that will make you a better musician,” he adds.

  On Wednesday, as Christl and his ensemble take the stage at Minthis, they will meet more musicians on stage – distinguished violinist Niklas Liepe, signed to Sony Music, and renowned pianist Nils Liepe. Together, they will present a spellbinding musical journey.

  “Collaborating is a big and fun part of music,” Christl reflects. “When different musicians with distinct thoughts and experiences about music come together, performing as one, that’s where I believe the really good moments appear.”

  If anyone notices a good moment, I imagine it’s a composer. The world of writing music seems like performing some kind of magic to me, but where do his best musical ideas appear? “That’s hard to say because I cannot tell. Inspiration is everywhere,” he answers. “As a composer, I try to walk through life with eyes wide open. I try to soak up every experience, little moment, sound and memory as they can grow into something.”

  He begins by improvising at the piano, letting the melodies unfold. This is a cherished moment as it cannot be forced. Suddenly, a harmony, a phrase appears that fits perfectly, and he tries to develop it. “The real composing process starts when I begin to write the music for the strings, the violins and the entire score. It’s hard to explain. Music reflects life in a way. It has this indescribable power to make us feel a way which only music can.”

  That is something Christl tries to pass on to his listeners whenever he performs, which he tells me is one of the most fun parts of being a pianist. Before we close and he heads to Minthis Music Festival, Christl shares a phrase he tells often repeats to the audience at the beginning of concerts: “It’s time to leave life behind, to sink in thoughts, to feel alive.”

  Florian Christl & Ensemble

  Live performance by Florian Christl, his ensemble and special guests Niklas Liepe (violin) and Nils Liepe (piano). Part of Minthis Music Festival. July 8. Minthis Resort, Paphos. 8pm. www.soldoutticketbox.com/event/florian-christl-minthis-festival-2026, www.minthisresort.com/music-festivals

• ‘Energy transition must respect environment’

  Cyprus’ energy transition must be properly planned to respect the environment and follow EU guidelines for the protection of ecosystems, the federation of environmental organisations (Opok) said on Monday.

  Opok said renewable energy sources were “undoubtedly a top priority for Cyprus’ energy transition and to meet its climate goals”, however the state could not continue to approve large-scale projects, such as the ones in Lythrodontas-Mathiatis and Alambra-Ayia Varvara, based on a vague government order without a clear framework.

  The situation, Opok said, continued to bear witness to the “sloppiness” of energy planning, allowing the destruction of valuable ecosystems in the name of “green development”.

  The uncontrolled expansion of photovoltaic parks into forest areas and cultivated land threatens local biodiversity, contributes towards erosion and causes a serious aesthetic and ecological burden, the federation pointed out.

  According to Opok, creating high-power photovoltaic parks near communities called for particular attention and any impact on the environment must be thoroughly investigated.

• French rethink on Turkey air defence deal to be closely watched in Cyprus

  A reported shift in France’s position on the possible sale of advanced SAMP/T air defence systems to Turkey is likely to attract close attention in Cyprus, amid deepening defence ties between Nicosia and Paris and broader efforts by the European Union to strengthen its security architecture.

  According to a Reuters report published on Monday, and ahead of this week’s Nato summit in Ankara with defence industry and investment heading the agenda, France is now open to the possibility of selling the Franco-Italian SAMP/T air defence system to Turkey after years of political opposition, potentially paving the way for more substantive talks with Ankara.

  Earlier this year, Cyprus and France signed a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), deepening defence cooperation and further consolidating France’s strategic presence in the Eastern Mediterranean.

  According to the Reuters report however, two sources cautioned that France would need to appease Greece and Cyprus over any potential sale given the SOFA with both countries.

  Turkish officials privately and publicly regarded France as the principal political obstacle to the programme, while Italy has long been in favour of sharing the SAMP/T with Turkey to deepen defence industry cooperation.

  Reuters reported that the change in position followed talks between French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during a summit on June 25, although negotiations remain at an early stage.

  “Before, there was a clear lack of openness, now there is openness,” one source familiar with the discussions told Reuters.

  The report said that Paris had set aside some of the political reservations that had previously blocked progress, although hesitations remained.

  The French presidency did not confirm the information and referred to “significant inaccuracies”, without specifying what these were.

  Senior Policy Advisor and Head of the Observatory of Geopolitics and Diplomacy at the Hellenic Foundation for Foreign and European Policy Ino Afentouli told the Cyprus Mail that “many EU member states consider Turkey an indispensable component of European defence because of its military capabilities”.

  She added that “if we end up with many countries cooperating with Turkey, as is happening with Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom and Poland, there will be pressure for special arrangements”.

  In that context, Cyprus and Greece may need to consider whether their consent could be exchanged for political concessions elsewhere.

  Cyprus Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas told the Cyprus Mail that Cyprus would continue strengthening its defence capabilities and domestic defence industry through European initiatives, stressing that the Republic would not seek permission from third countries regarding decisions affecting its national security.

  Turkey, France and Italy launched cooperation on a possible long-range air defence programme between 2017 and 2018, including studies into co-development and co-production.

  However, the project stalled as relations between Paris and Ankara deteriorated over Syria, Libya and disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean involving Greece and Cyprus.

  The SAMP/T system, also known as Mamba, is produced by the Franco-Italian Eurosam consortium, which brings together MBDA France, MBDA Italy and Thales. It is widely regarded as Europe’s closest equivalent to the US Patriot air defence system.

  The system can track dozens of targets simultaneously, intercept multiple threats at once and is the only European-made system that claims to be able to intercept ballistic missiles.

  Turkey has been seeking the system as part of its planned Steel Dome integrated air and missile-defence network.

• Officials address TV reception problems following digital switch

  The department of electronic communications announced on Monday it was in regular contact with Hellas Sat to resolve TV reception issues following Cyprus’ transition to the DVB-T2 digital broadcasting system. 

  The switch to the new terrestrial digital television network requires viewers to retune their television channels. 

  Households with older television sets that do not support DVB-T2 technology must purchase an external decoder to continue receiving broadcasts. 

  Consumers should consult retailers when buying a decoder to ensure compatibility with the new standard. 

  The department also said some television sets imported from Greece may require users to adjust the regional settings to another European country, as certain software versions do not automatically tune to the new transmission frequencies. 

  Support is available through the Hellas Sat call centre, which operates daily until 9pm at 22000737. 

  While the department acknowledged that high call volumes have caused delays, it stated that Hellas Sat is committed to contacting anyone whose call could not be answered immediately. 

  Authorities have also identified instances where reception problems originate from household antenna systems or internal wiring rather than the network itself. 

  Hellas Sat has promised to provide technical assistance in these cases. 

  The department described the move to DVB-T2 as a significant technological upgrade, saying Cyprus was among the last European countries to adopt high-definition television broadcasting. 

  It explained that the transition was necessary because the previous provider’s licence had expired, and its transmission system did not support HD broadcasts. 

  Officials added that the changeover followed a three-month period of parallel broadcasting on both the old and new networks, along with a public information campaign to assist viewers in preparing for the switch. 

  The department will continue to monitor the rollout closely until all outstanding issues are resolved.

• Commission representatives tour Thalia sites as projects move towards completion

  European Commission representatives toured many of the sites being funded under the Thalia 2021-2027 programme last week during an annual review, as some of the projects near completion or are already completed, according to an announcement issued on Monday.

  Thalia 2021-2027 is a €1.8 billion development programme that seeks to promote jobs and economic growth in Cyprus through the green and digital transitions. It is funded in part through EU Cohesion Policy funds and in part through Cyprus national funds.

  In Nicosia, representatives of the EU general directorate for regional and urban policy (DG REGIO) and the EU general directorate for employment, social affairs and social inclusion (DG EMPL) visited the Apollon solar panel park at the University of Cyprus and new facilities at the engineering school.

  The Apollon park became operational in September of last year and is expected to cover nearly half of the University’s energy needs. At the engineering school, new research facilities opened last May following €20.8 million in funding, on top of previous funding during the 2014–2020 Cohesion Policy.

  The Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, where a €720,000 project is being funded for animal rehabilitation and reintroduction, was also toured.

  In Larnaca, the representatives visited the Tsiakkileros multifunctional park, a green space that opened in April that features sports facilities and other outdoor activities. They also visited the Evanthia Pieridou senior care home, which was demolished and reconstructed using Thalia funds and inaugurated in January.

  Additionally, DG REGIO representatives met with projects in the areas of water management and research and innovation, and DG EMPL representatives visited a programme seeking to support independent living for those with disabilities.

  Thalia 2021-2027 remains the largest public development programme in Cyprus.

Reddit

r/golang

• How would you create a custom Gio widget and make it a reusable component

  This video gives a complete example to create a new custom Gio widget and presents 4 approaches to organize your Go code based on where you put your widget's implementation.

  The video also shows which approach to pick for which projects

  How would you create a custom Gio widget and make it a reusable component

  submitted by /u/Warm_Low_4155
  [link] [comments]
• RedisVL is now available for Golang. Build AI apps for Redis with a native library

  submitted by /u/cap_theorem_enjoyer [link] [comments]

• Small Projects

  This is the weekly thread for Small Projects.

  The point of this thread is to have looser posting standards than the main board. As such, projects are pretty much only removed from here by the mods for being completely unrelated to Go. However, Reddit often labels posts full of links as being spam, even when they are perfectly sensible things like links to projects, godocs, and an example. r/golang mods are not the ones removing things from this thread and we will allow them as we see the removals.

  Please also avoid posts like "why", "we've got a dozen of those", "that looks like AI slop", etc. This the place to put any project people feel like sharing without worrying about those criteria.

  submitted by /u/AutoModerator
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• Is BaseRepository preferred in golang based microservices??

  Hi friends, I have recently joined a new company, where I am seeing little different implementation patterns in golang based microservices.

  My previous organisation was good at tech, but never saw such things there.

  Here I see they have created a BaseRepository in a shared go-util lib for an org, there they have defined multiple BaseRepository along with V2, V3, V4 etc,.. and then they have defined functions (not methods of that BaseRepo) where they are taking this BaseRepo and few other fields as params, and performing actions like save, Save, update, GetListofValuesByFieldAllData, GetListofValuesByField, GetByField, GetByFields, GetTotalCount, BulkSave, DeleteChildren, DeleteByField.. etc.

  Also the folder structure looks like if Java, like using src, controller, dao, etc.

  Please tell if this all correct or not. I don't think this BaseRepo is a good idea. Instead I will make a DAL or Repo layer specific to the microservice itself or else if required to have such common BaseRepository then will need good refactoring of the code along with restructuring the code format.

  Please let me know your thoughts on this.

  Thanks

  submitted by /u/Repulsive-Ad-4340
  [link] [comments]
• Typo -- New cli tools, Auto-correct mistyped shell commands

  TheFuck is an excellent project that has helped me resolve many issues caused by typos. However, due to the project's community ceasing maintenance and failing to respond to user feedback in a timely manner—combined with installation dependencies tied to specific Python versions—I decided to develop my own solution.

  I created a project named Typo using Go. It relies on only one third-party library, is built upon the Go SDK, and stores command configurations in a JSON file.

  Typo is not merely a port or clone of TheFuck; it was built from scratch and employs a different approach to fixing command-line errors. I invite everyone to try it out and provide feedback. I spent three weeks developing the project and have already resolved several known issues.

  The project emphasizes simplicity, striving to implement features using the most intuitive and straightforward code possible.

  Github repo: https://github.com/yuluo-yx/typo

  submitted by /u/Regular_Ad8454
  [link] [comments]
• Benchmarking Go 1.27's encoding/json: The `any` Trap

  I benchmarked the encoding/json with v2 implementation, the default in the coming 1.27 release and found something surprising.

  submitted by /u/iandyh
  [link] [comments]
• What's the actual way to capture a live screen feed in Go?

  so I'm building a little remote screen viewing tool as a side project, kind of like a mini AnyDesk. I'm pretty new to Go, most of my background is C, Python and Java, so go easy on me if I'm missing something obvious.

  current approach: I'm using `kbinani/screenshot` to grab a screenshot on a timer (every ~80ms), jpeg encoding it, and sending it over a websocket to a viewer. looks choppy, basically a slideshow, not real video.

  I already know the plan going forward is to actually stream this properly with WebRTC instead of shoving jpegs over a websocket, that part I get. the part I'm stuck on is way earlier in the pipeline: right now I'm not capturing "video" at all, I'm just taking a screenshot over and over. is there an actual way to capture the screen as a continuous live feed in Go, something that gives you frames the way a webcam capture would, instead of me manually looping "take screenshot -> encode -> repeat"?

  basically want to know if there's a proper screen-capture API/library people use in Go (cross platform if possible, or even OS-specific is fine) that's built for this vs what I'm doing now, which feels like I'm reinventing something that should already exist. would rather feed real captured frames into an encoder/webrtc track than keep hacking screenshots into something video-like.

  anyone dealt with this in Go before? what's the go-to library or approach for actual screen capture (not screenshot-in-a-loop)?

  thanks!

  submitted by /u/Dark_Moon1
  [link] [comments]
• Instead of running Kafka/Redis for batching DB writes as a solo dev, I built a sharded in-process Go library with a WAL.

  I'm building a semantic social platform solo (pre-traction, still early), and one of the requirements I set for myself early on was to build for scale from day one, but stay lean enough that I'm not drowning in ops as a one-person team, and since I'm paying for servers with no revenue.

  A recurring need across the backend was to group high-throughput events by key, batch them, and process the batch without losing data if the process crashes. Kafka does this, but it's heavy memory footprint, cluster ops, broker management none a good pick when you're a one person team trying to ship product, with minimal infrastructure management ops.

  So I built Flux: a sharded, concurrent-safe, in-process event batching library for Go, with an optional write-ahead log for durability.

  Core design:

  • Keys are sharded across N buffers (configurable) to keep lock contention low — each shard has its own lock, so writes to different shards never block each other
  • Batches flush on size threshold or time interval, whichever hits first
  • Optional WAL with three durability tiers (SyncAlways, SyncPeriodically, SyncOS) so you can pick your durability/throughput tradeoff instead of it being baked in
  • Tombstone-based deletes in the WAL (O(1)) with lazy compaction, instead of rewrite-on-delete

  Benchmarks (Intel Ultra 7 255H, 16 vCPUs running on Ubuntu 24 with WSL):

  Shards	ns/op	~ops/sec
  1	169.1	5.9M
  8	122.7	8.1M
  32	96.3	10.4M
  64	90.0	11.1M
  128	87.0	11.5M

  WAL write latency ranges from ~4.2K writes/sec (SyncAlways, full fsync per write) up to ~1.25M writes/sec (SyncOS).

  Passes go test -race -count=1 ./... clean, with concurrent stress tests (100 goroutines × 10k ops) and end-to-end crash-recovery tests (write → kill → reopen → verify replay).

  Repo: https://github.com/ArunDtej/flux

  Using this intensively across many core modules in my backend, like at counters for votes, user reputation, content popularity, keeping data in sync across multiple databases through batches and in many other eventually consistent data cases.

  Like I said, it's used in production for my products so I will be keeping tracks of any potential future bugs, tho not gonna be a active repo as it already fulfills its purpose.

  Initially it was just a basic internal module, but later I thought it can be used in my other go projects aswell so I replicated the functionality with proper WAL and other features, and it is heavily AI assisted and vibe coded but I was the one deciding the architecture and trade offs.

  would appreciate any code reviews or feedbacks or roasts on this :'D

  submitted by /u/Small_Broccoli_7864
  [link] [comments]
• Got a quick question about middleware usage in go

  I want to implement jwt middleware which will decode jwt and add it's data into the context scope.

  But to decode I need jwt secret which is loaded on app startup and stored into config struct

  So I need to pass it down the router code. Is there any better way to use config values in middleware???

  submitted by /u/FitzZ1987
  [link] [comments]