The way the government greeted the appointment of the European Commission envoy to the Cyprus problem gave the impression that the road to a solution had been opened. The reality, however, is that we remain as far away from a settlement as we were before Monday, when Raffaelo Fitto, who is serving as executive vice president for cohesion since 2024, was appointed envoy.

This was an upgrade on Johannes Hahn, the Austrian politician who stepped down as European Commission envoy in March, before he had completed a year in the job. Hahn had two terms as a commissioner, but he became envoy in 2025 when he had no role in the Commission. Fitto, in contrast, as an executive vice president is a member of the European Union’s college of commissioners. His appointment, said the commission, reflected its “strong commitment to the reunification of Cyprus.”

The Commission made it clear that Fitto would not undertake any initiative but would “contribute to the settlement process within the United Nations framework, in close cooperation with the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy on Cyprus Maria Angela Holguin.” And he would “engage with all relevant stakeholders and interlocutors to prepare the ground for the resumption of negotiations and support a comprehensive and lasting solution.”

Deputy government spokesman Yiannis Antoniou, speaking on CyBC radio on Tuesday morning, said Fitto’s appointment created a new situation, strengthening the role of the EU, both in the effort for a resumption of talks as well as in ensuring that a prospective settlement would be fully compatible with EU acquis. The Commission made a similar point on Monday, saying that it supported a comprehensive settlement “in line with the relevant UN security council resolutions and in line with the principles and legislation of the European Union.”

The funny thing about this is that for more than 50 years the two sides have been unable to agree a settlement in line with UN Security Council resolutions, but now they will be even less likely to reach an agreement as this would also have to be in line with the principles and the legislation of the EU. Is it possible that if a settlement that is in line with UN resolutions but not with EU legislation (as was the case with the Annan plan) is offered to the two sides the European Commission could reject it? Brussels fully supported the Annan plan in 2004 and strongly criticised the Greek Cypriots for rejecting it.

Antoniou said that Turkey was looking for progress in talks with the EU on customs union, visa-free travel and access to financial instruments, and believed this left room for Brussels to utilise. It is wishful thinking rather than a pragmatic evaluation of the situation, considering the Turkish side has repeatedly said it does not want EU involvement in the Cyprus problem, because it does not consider the EU impartial.