Cypriot police have issued an extensive traffic and air-navigation plan ahead of the informal European Council meeting that President Nikos Christodoulides will host in Ayia Napa (23 April) and Nicosia (24 April). From 16:00 to 23:00 on Thursday, portions of Ayia Thekla Avenue and access roads to the marina will close, while Aglandja Avenue and surrounding arteries near the Filoxenia Conference Centre in the capital will be off-limits from 07:30 to 18:00 on Friday. To safeguard heads of state and dozens of accompanying delegations, the Joint Rescue & Coordination Centre has issued NAVTEX NW120/26 declaring a maritime exclusion zone off Ayia Napa. The Transport Ministry has also imposed a 48-hour nationwide drone ban, a first for Cyprus and a reminder that unmanned aircraft are now standard security concerns at high-level events. Business travellers, commuters and logistics firms are advised to reroute via the A3 and Limassol motorways, add at least 45 minutes to airport journeys, and confirm pick-up points with taxi providers, many of whom will operate on a detour schedule. Hermes Airports expects no flight cancellations but warns that VIP movements could trigger short runway holds at Larnaca International. The summit brings tangible economic upside—five-star hotels in Famagusta district report 100 % occupancy—but it also spotlights the operational disruptions that mega-events can impose on small island infrastructures. Companies with time-critical shipments should consider forwarding via Paphos airport or Limassol port until restrictions lift late Friday evening.
Source: Cyprus Mail
