Cyprus has activated its ESTIA Special National Plan
By Bernie,
Cyprus has activated its ESTIA Special National Plan, placing Limassol Port on heightened security and preparing to receive evacuees from the Middle East. The port authority confirms it can erect a temporary reception center within four hours of activation. All relevant agencies, including Civil Defence, the Red Cross, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have conducted tabletop drills over the past 48 hours. The port's security has been raised to ISPS Level 2, with stricter ID checks and vehicle screening in place.
The ESTIA framework allows Cyprus to serve as a staging hub for third-country nationals fleeing crises in the Middle East before repatriation by charter flights. The plan was last used in August 2025, when 3,200 Lebanese and EU citizens were evacuated during a 72-hour ceasefire. No embassy has yet filed a formal activation request, but Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos says the island "stands ready to provide safe harbour to all civilians in need."
Topics: Lebanon & Hezbollah, Diplomacy
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