13 March – In a special televised appearance, PresidentNikos Anastasiadis announced that all of the country's border would be closed for 15 days to everyone except Cypriots, Europeans working on the island, and people with special permits. Authorities also extended a school shutdown until April 10 in a precautionary move against COVID-19.[3]
21 March – The country reports its first COVID-19 death, that of an individual with underlying health issues.[4]
27 March – The government announces that 50 prisoners will be released in early April. The prisoners were held in Nicosia central prison, which had been operating beyond capacity for years. The release is expected to alleviate the overcrowded prison and slow the spread of the virus.[6]
21 May – The lockdown ended and repatriation flights continued, although those coming back to the country no longer have to be quarantined for two weeks. The government also announced that airports will reopen fully on June 9, though flights from countries heavily affected by the virus will not be permitted until further notice.[7]
24 August – The Cyprus Papers, consisting of more than 1,400 confidential approved applications relating to the government Cyprus Investment Programme, were published by Al Jazeera, which says they have been sold to criminals and fugitives from 70 countries who, by purchasing a Cypriot passport, become European Union citizens. The government claims that it has clamped down on the loopholes and that each accepted application was in conformity with the standards at the time. The country said it will revoke citizenship for individuals found guilty of serious crimes.[9][10][11]
Media related to 2020 in Cyprus at Wikimedia Commons
