On Wednesday, the Council of Ministers approved the creation of a National Strategy focused on the LGBTQI+ community in Cyprus.

The Commissioner for Citizens' Rights, Panayiotis Palates, has been appointed to coordinate the preparation and implementation of the National Strategy aimed at protecting the rights of the LGBTQI+ community.

Following the Council's session, Mr. Palates stated that the committee overseeing this initiative will be interministerial, with permanent representatives from the Ministries of Justice, Education, Interior, and Health. Other ministries may also be invited based on the committee’s ongoing work.

Additionally, the non-governmental organization Accept-LGBT Cyprus, will be represented in the committee.

Mr. Palates also noted that the committee will receive academic support from a scholar who will be appointed upon the Citizen’s Rights Commissioner’s proposal and approved by the Minister of Justice.

According to the Commissioner, the National Strategy will align Cyprus’ legislation with that of the European Union, focusing on combating discrimination, ensuring equality and safety, and building an inclusive society for LGBTQI+ individuals and communities.

He emphasized that this initiative is part of the campaign promises made by President Nikos Christodoulides.

In response to a journalist's question about whether the NGO Accept had been consulted and whether it had submitted initial requests, Mr. Palates confirmed that preliminary meetings had taken place. During these meetings, various concerns were raised, with safety issues being the most urgent to address.

“These problems are unfortunately present in daily life. However, the committee will thoroughly examine a series of issues right away. The first meeting is scheduled for next week, where work will officially begin,” Mr. Palates concluded.