As part of the youth exchange in the Republic of Cyprus, representatives of the “Youth Guard Squads” association, led by Dr. Denislava Angelova, met with Ms. Eleftheria Aristotelous—a diplomat and representative of the structure responsible for preparing Cyprus’s presidency of the EU Council in 2026.
Mrs. Aristotelous outlined Cyprus’s main priorities for its upcoming EU presidency: strengthening the EU’s external security, supporting Ukraine, safeguarding maritime borders, and preparing the new financial framework for the period after 2027. She highly praised Bulgaria’s EU presidency in 2018, describing it as an example of professionalism, European spirit, and effective dialogue between institutions.
The event was carried out with the assistance of the Embassy of Cyprus in Bulgaria, whose partnership contributes to strengthening bilateral relations and the successful realization of the visit.
The official Bulgarian delegation supporting the institutional visits includes:
– Rositsa Kirova – Member of Parliament and Chair of the Committee for Direct Citizen Participation
– Petar Mladenov – Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports
– Tanya Mihaylova – Chief of Cabinet to the Minister of Education and Science
– Monika Yanakieva – Director at the Center for Human Resource Development
– Col. Petar Kindalov – Commander of the National Guard Unit
– Col. Iliya Milushev – Advisor to the President of the Republic of Bulgaria
– Mariana Shoteva – Chairperson of the Administrative Court – Plovdiv
• Джузепе Де Франческо – Honorary Consul of Italy in Plovdiv
• Iliana Andonova – Representative of the Embassy of Cyprus in Bulgaria
Association “Youth Guard Units” holds accreditation No. 2025-1-BG01-KA151-YOU-000297794 under the Erasmus+ program, which ensures the sustainability and long-term development of projects in the fields of youth policies, leadership, and civic education.
The organization is actively developing partnerships with educational institutions in Europe, promoting youth participation, innovation, and intercultural dialogue.
Photos by: Milen Torbev
