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Cyprus Eyes Schengen Membership And U.S. Visa-Free Travel By Year-End

Cyprus is taking significant steps toward joining the Schengen free-travel zone by the end of this year, President Nikos Christodoulides announced during a conference in Nicosia last Friday. The move could bolster the island nation’s tourism and investment potential, though challenges linked to its unique geopolitical situation remain.

The island has been divided since 1974, with the Republic of Cyprus controlling the south and the Turkish-occupied north separated by a buffer zone known as the Green Line. If Cyprus joins Schengen without resolving this division, the Green Line would transform into an external EU border, necessitating stricter passport checks and potentially escalating tensions. EU officials have highlighted that adjustments to the Green Line Regulation would be essential to accommodate Schengen membership.

Currently, Cyprus and Ireland are the only EU member states outside the Schengen area, as both lack land borders with other EU countries. President Christodoulides noted that Cyprus has addressed political concerns tied to the ceasefire line and is now finalizing the technical requirements for accession. A dedicated foreign ministry team is overseeing the process to ensure the country meets all necessary criteria.

Joining Schengen is not Cyprus’s only ambition. The president also revealed that efforts to secure visa-free travel for Cypriots to the United States are nearing completion. A U.S. delegation is expected to visit soon to finalize discussions, with formal announcements anticipated shortly.

As a member of the European Union since 2004, Cyprus has long enjoyed freedom of movement across the bloc. Achieving both Schengen membership and U.S. visa exemptions would mark a significant milestone, enhancing the nation’s connectivity and positioning it as a gateway in the eastern Mediterranean.

TikTok Returns To US App Stores 

TikTok is once again available for download in the Apple and Google app stores in the US, following a delay in the enforcement of its ban by former President Donald Trump. The ban’s postponement until April 5 gives the administration additional time to evaluate the situation.

Key Developments

The decision to restore TikTok access came after Google and Apple received reassurances from the Trump administration that they would not face legal consequences for reinstating the Chinese-owned app. According to Bloomberg, US Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter outlining these guarantees.

In an executive order signed on January 20, Trump instructed the attorney general not to take enforcement action for 75 days, providing time for his administration to determine how to proceed.

Uncertain Future For TikTok In The US

While TikTok is back on the US app stores, its long-term survival remains uncertain. If no deal is reached by early April to address national security concerns, the app may face another shutdown. ByteDance, the parent company, has insisted that TikTok is not for sale.

Legislation And Pressure On ByteDance

The Protecting Americans from Foreign Enemy-Controlled Apps Act, which passed with bipartisan support in Congress, mandates a nationwide ban on TikTok unless ByteDance sells its US operations. This law was signed by President Joe Biden in April of last year.

In late January, the app was briefly removed from US stores following the ban’s activation, impacting over 170 million American users. However, TikTok was restored soon after, following Trump’s intervention in his first hours as president. During that time, he signed an executive order allowing 75 days for a deal that would safeguard national security. Trump also suggested that the US could take a 50% stake in TikTok, a move he believed would keep the app “in good hands.”

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