Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos has issued a warning to Cypriots who may be planning to holiday in areas caught up in the Middle East war, urging the public to follow and comply with travel advisories as the regional crisis remains extremely dangerous and unpredictable.
Speaking to journalists, Kombos said the repatriation operation carried out earlier in the crisis had been arduous. “The repatriation process was difficult,” he said, stressing it could not be repeated and that everyone must heed official travel guidance.
The warning comes after Cyprus itself played a central role in the crisis. Larnaca Airport functioned as an evacuation hub for the Eastern Mediterranean during the conflict’s early weeks.
The minister said concern was growing ahead of the Easter holidays, with signs that some Cypriots had booked trips to areas at the heart of the conflict. The worry, he said, is that compatriots could once again find themselves stranded in a war zone.
Kombos also said EU diplomatic engagement and coordination were essential, with Cyprus playing its full part. He stressed that the humanitarian dimension must not be lost sight of amid the wider crisis. “We must not forget the critical humanitarian situation in Gaza,” he said.
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