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Cyprus Government Accuses International Media Of Exaggerating Drone Incident

Cyprus’s government spokesperson, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, issued a pointed rebuke to international media on Thursday, accusing them of exaggerating the island’s situation following an Iranian-made drone strike last week. Speaking at the presidential palace, Letymbiotis stated that some international reports have presented a distorted picture of the situation in Cyprus.

Media Exaggeration And National Stability

According to the government spokesperson, several international media outlets have portrayed developments in Cyprus in a way that does not reflect conditions on the ground. “What is being presented internationally is an image with a high degree of exaggeration,” Letymbiotis said, adding that daily life on the island continues normally. The statement was intended to reassure both residents and international audiences amid heightened regional tensions.

Sustained Tourism And Restored Connectivity

Letymbiotis also addressed concerns about the tourism sector, noting that most airline schedules have resumed. Although the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry has reported cancellations and slower booking activity, the government maintains that Cyprus remains a functioning tourist destination.

Preventative Measures And Diplomatic Outreach

Authorities have also implemented several precautionary measures in response to the regional situation. These include the presence of naval vessels from five European Union member states and the temporary deployment of four Greek F-16 fighter jets in the region. Visits by French President Emmanuel Macron and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis were also highlighted as signs of European political support for Cyprus.

Clarifying The Context

Government officials have sought to emphasise that the measures taken are precautionary and do not reflect an emergency within the country. Letymbiotis reiterated that Cyprus continues to operate normally as a member state of the European Union.

Assessing Security At The Airbase

Responding to questions about meetings held at an airbase during visits by foreign leaders, Letymbiotis explained that such locations allow officials to review coordination of ongoing security measures. He noted that these visits were intended to evaluate preparedness and cooperation among partners rather than to signal a deterioration in the security situation.

Cypriot Startup LIVIA Wins Europe’s Top Youth Entrepreneurship Competition

A Cypriot university team has won the European GEN-E 2026 youth entrepreneurship competition with LIVIA, a smart agriculture platform that combines satellite data, autonomous drones and artificial intelligence to help farmers improve irrigation, detect disease earlier and reduce pesticide use.

Alongside first place, the team received the FedEx Access Award, expanding its access to investors, entrepreneurs and industry experts across Europe.

Initially developed for vineyards, LIVIA analyses individual plants and turns complex data into practical recommendations. The team is now preparing its first functional product and pilot projects in Cyprus, with plans to expand into additional crops and international markets.

From An Idea To Smart Agriculture

LIVIA began with a simple question: how could satellite data create practical value in everyday life? After exploring applications ranging from meteorology to marine biology, the team identified agriculture as the sector with the greatest potential.

Recognising the limitations of satellite imagery alone, particularly in resolution and update frequency, the founders integrated autonomous drones into the platform to provide more detailed field data.

Designed as a modular system, LIVIA can continuously incorporate new data sources and capabilities. Its initial focus is irrigation management, early disease detection and plant health monitoring, with vineyards serving as the first use case because of their importance to Cyprus and the team’s own experience.

Turning Data Into Decisions

Satellite imagery provides continuous monitoring of crops, while autonomous drones capture high-resolution images whenever greater precision is needed.

Artificial intelligence then combines those datasets with information collected by growers, including IoT sensors and field observations, to generate tailored recommendations for irrigation, disease prevention and resource management.

By analysing each plant individually, the platform enables precision agriculture rather than field-wide recommendations.

Building A Hardware And Software Startup

Developing LIVIA has required balancing advanced software with specialised hardware, including drones, multispectral cameras and charging stations, all while operating with limited resources.

Although the startup participates in the Bank of Cyprus IDEA programme and has secured non-equity funding, integrating multiple data sources into a reliable AI system remains its biggest technical challenge.

The Role Of Junior Achievement

Participation in the JA StartUp Programme helped transform the original concept into a business proposition through mentoring, coaching and pitch preparation.

Support continued after LIVIA won the national competition, with the Junior Achievement Cyprus team helping the founders prepare for the European final in Latvia.

European Recognition

Winning GEN-E 2026 and the FedEx Access Award marked the team’s biggest milestone to date and created new opportunities to connect with investors, entrepreneurs and industry experts across Europe.

The founders are now focused on completing their minimum viable product, launching pilot projects in Cyprus and expanding the platform to new crops and international markets.

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