In early November, some media outlets in Cyprus, Turkey and Greece reproduced the claim that the United Kingdom made a change in its policy towards Turkish Cypriots, and added the phrase “northern part of Cyprus” to the official visa application web page in addition to “Cyprus.”
Some media outlets questioned whether this was a ‘silent’ or ‘indirect’ recognition of the breakaway state.
CIReN examined this claim based on what was reported versus what actually changed on the visa page , conducted a fact-check and issued its verdict. Read our fact-check here
President Christodoulides presented the recent agreement between the Employers Associations and the Trade Unions to restore 100% of COLA – Αutomatic Cost-Of-Living Adjustment as a reform, a fairer distribution of national income, and the strengthening of the middle and low income classes.
CIReN examined his claim based on what was actually agreed and what the agreement comprises in order to verify who it will benefit and how as well as how many will continue to be excluded. Read our fact-check here
On October 16, 2025 Cypriot Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Fidias Panayiotou took to his social media accounts to make the “biggest announcement of his life”, the creation of a new political party in Cyprus to run in the 2026 Parliamentary elections.
The central principle defining Panayiotou’s announced party, inspiring even its name, is the concept of Direct Democracy, with the use of a mobile application allowing people to vote for the party’s candidates for elections, as well as for their actions while in office.
This innovation has been touted as an entirely new concept by Panayiotou in his announcement and subsequent interviews.
The Cyprus Investigative Reporting Network (CIReN) examined Panayiotou’s claim of the party presenting an entirely new and untested model, comparing it to previous applications of this concept to illustrate how the idea may not be as innovative as its being presented. Read our fact-check here
Since the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine, there has been an ongoing debate over the impact of Western-imposed sanctions on the economies of both Russia and the European Union. A recent iteration of this debate emerged during a podcast conversation between Greek Minister of Health, Adonis Georgiades, and Cypriot Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Fidias Panayiotou.
During the discussion, Panayiotou claimed that Western sanctions on Russia were affecting the EU and not Russia.
The Cyprus Investigative Reporting Network (CIReN) examined this claim, analyzing historical and current economic data, sector-level impacts and the broader macroeconomic context in order to assess its accuracy. Read our fact-check here
Despite extensive coverage in Turkish Cypriot media, no direct flights between the UK and north Cyprus were launched. CIReN traces the claim to its source and examines what was actually said — and what wasn’t.
The Cyprus Investigative Reporting Network (CIReN) examined the claim of direct flights between the United Kingdom and north Cyprus, compared news reports to the official statements in an effort to get to the source of the allegation, conducted a fact-check and issued its verdict. Read our fact-check here
Despite a year-long buildup, government promotion, and a unanimous vote in the Parliament, only two women applied for voluntary military service. CIReN finds the President’s claim unfounded when weighed against the actual outcome.
President Nicos Christodoulides announced this new policy a year ago, arguing in April 2025 that it would be “an important step towards consolidating the principle of equality and strengthening the defense structure of the Republic of Cyprus.”
Cyprus Investigative Reporting Network (CIReN) examined the President’s claim in relation to the objective and the results achieved, conducted a fact-check, and issued its verdict. Read our fact-check here
The Cypriot member of European Parliament (MEP) Fidias Panayiotou recently claimed that the European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas had made comments about World War II that were “insulting to history.”
The Cyprus Investigative Reporting Network (CIReN) examined the comments of Kallas and the claims by MEP Panayiotou, as well as how he framed these comments, conducted a fact-check, and issued its verdict. Read our fact-check here
Turkey’s main opposition leader Ozgur Ozel recently claimed that there has been interference from Turkey in the upcoming elections for the Turkish Cypriot leader in the northern part of Cyprus.
The Cyprus Investigative Reporting Network (CIReN) examined the allegations of interference on behalf of the current Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, conducted a fact-check and issued its verdict. Read our fact-check here
The Cyprus Investigative Reporting Network (CIReN) examined recent claims by Paphos Mayor Phedonas Phedonos that the island of Cyprus is currently populated by 60% Christians and 40% Muslims, and that in 2037 this will be 49% Christians and 51% Muslims.
CIReN used the latest available census data and population projections, as well as its own calculations based on these figures to conduct a fact-check and issued its verdict. Read our fact-check here
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar has recently claimed that the northern part of Cyprus trades with over 100 countries. He made this statement in an effort to showcase how much the breakaway state has advanced.
The Cyprus Investigative Reporting Network (CIReN) conducted a fact-check on Tatar’s claim and issued its verdict. Read our fact-check here
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled on 3 July that the Republic of Cyprus violated a woman’s (N.T.) rights after she accused a current DISY politician (A.T.) of alleged rape.
Specifically, Cyprus authorities failed to carry out an effective investigation and prosecution, and did not fulfill their central task of assessing the issue of non-consent, the Court said. The Court also found that N.T. was faced with secondary victimisation through guilt-inducing, moralising and sexist stereotypes. The rape claim was handled by Deputy Attorney General Savvas Angelides in Cyprus.
Following the public outcry caused by the handling of the case as it was revealed by the ECtHR, Angelides held a press conference on 8 July where he addressed the ruling.
The Cyprus Investigative Reporting Network (CIReN) fact-checked a claim Angelides made during his statement regarding the ECtHR judgment and delivered a verdict. Read our fact-check here
In the aftermath of the huge fire on July 23-25 in the mountainous region of Limassol, authorities responsible for civil protection published reports on how they responded. Among the issues that emerged was the lack of an early warning and caller location system via 112 based on EU legislation.
CIReN examined the issue in light of the annual program declarations made by President Nicos Christodoulides on civil protection and his commitments to upgrade the response through the 112 emergency number, conducted a fact-check and issued its verdict. Read our fact-check here.
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar stated that a June judgment by the Court “reaffirmed that the Immovable Property Commission (IPC) constitutes an effective domestic legal remedy that must be exhausted in relation to claims concerning immovable properties abandoned by Greek Cypriots in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.”
“This decision by the ECtHR serves as a response to the Greek Cypriot side, which pursues an aggressive policy against our citizens by ignoring our property regime and its integral component, the IPC.”
“The IPC exists and continues to function effectively.”
The Cyprus Investigative Reporting Network (CIReN) examined Tatar’s excerpted statements, conducted a fact-check, and issued its verdict. Read our fact-check here.
MEP Latinopoulou Claims on Firefighting Aid in Cyprus are Misleading and False
In the wake of the devastating wildfires that swept through the mountainous Limassol region in late July,
Greek MEP Afroditi Latinopoulou claimed that Greece did not send firefighting aircraft to Cyprus -instead it
provided aerial assistance to Albania- and further asserted that Israel was the only country offering international aid.
CIReN fact‑checked each of these claims using official sources and statements from emergency authorities. Read our fact-check here.
Fact-Check:Cyprus unlikely to join the Schengen Area in 2026
The Cyprus Investigative Reporting Network (CIReN) examined the Republic of Cyprus’ declared plan to join the Schengen Area in 2026.
Is the process simply a matter of meeting technical goals, or does Cyprus’ “special situation” carry political dimensions that remain unaddressed?
CIReN conducted a fact-check and issued its verdict. Read our fact-check here
Fact-Check: Environmental Protection – Kotsiatis and Vati
CIReN delves into one of the most pressing issues concerning environmental protection and public health.It fact-checks the government narrative around the recent European Commission’s decision to refer Cyprus to the Court of Justice of the EU over the improper closure and waste management at the Vati and Kotsiatis illegal landfills.
Cyprus was ordered to shut down both sites in 2013 and although it stopped sending waste there in 2017, neither Vati or Kotsiatis have been properly sealed off. To date, rubbish is still there leaking toxic substances and rotting waste is contaminating the surrounding area.
CIReN investigates and scrutinizes the position of the Cypriot government and issues its verdict. Read our fact-check here
Fact-Check: Did Zelensky buy a casino in north Cyprus?
On June 4, 2024 CIReN fact-checked media reports alleging that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky bought a multimillion-dollar hotel and casino in the northern part of Cyprus.
The report first appeared on a Turkish opposition news portal Oda TV. Two days later, user TGueul then published a video on YouTube supposedly referring to the hotel and casino’s website to confirm the allegation.
We found that the referenced website was fake, set up just days before the hotel and casino purchase allegations were made.
Here is a thread with the findings of our fact-check, which was referenced by Newsweek and Snopes:
Fact-Check: How many golden passports has Republic of Cyprus revoked?
On May 30, 2024, CIReN fact-checked a story by Greek-Cypriot daily Phileleftheros claiming the government is revoking golden passports from 6 investors and 18 dependents. A story in their English edition put the numbers at 68 investors and 165 dependents.
CIReN clarified that the latter numbers were the same statistics reported in 2023 by OCCRP. And if the new revocations reported by Phileleftheros are accurate, they would be the first since at least November 2023, as confirmed to CIReN by the Interior Ministry.
These would bring the total number of golden passport revocations to 74 investors, of a total of 3,517 investor passports granted.
Here is a thread with the findings of our fact-check: