Italian PM Meloni Cancels Cyprus Visit After Modena Incident.

Rome; May 2026: The planned visit to Cyprus by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni yesterday (Sunday – 17th May 2026) have been postponed following an incident in the Italian city of Modena which left at least 08 people injured, 04 of whom are in serious condition. According to an official announcement, Meloni is returning urgently to Italy and will travel to Modena together with Italian President Sergio Mattarella to be close to the injured, their families and the community.

The statement said Meloni’s visit to Cyprus will be rescheduled at a later date.

Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said the Cypriot government attaches particular importance to further strengthening relations between Cyprus and Italy, as well as cooperation on both European and regional issues. Cyprus has also expressed its “solidarity with the Italian government, the Italian people and all those affected by this tragic incident”, the spokesman said.

It was on Saturday – 16th May 2026, a man drove a car into a crowd in the northern Italian city of Modena, injuring at least 08 people, 04 of whom are in serious condition, police said. The driver, a 30 years old born in Bergamo and of North African origin, who had moved to the province that includes Modena, had attempted to flee after the car crashed into a shop window. The fleeing driver was stopped by some pedestrians, one of whom he attacked with a knife and slightly injured. The driver was later arrested by police.

The driver was receiving treatment for psychiatric disorders, a source in the Interior Ministry said, without elaborating on the man’s motivations or whether terrorism was a factor. Among the injured, four were in serious condition and two were airlifted to a hospital in Bologna, around 40 kilometers from Modena, the city’s mayor, Massimo Mezzetti. The Mayor has described that the attack was a deliberate one; “It seems the driver had deliberately drove onto the sidewalk, hitting several people”, Mezzetti said.

“I express my solidarity with those who were injured and their families”, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni posted on social media platform X. “What happened in Modena is extremely serious. I trust the person responsible will be held fully accountable for his actions”, she added.

Matteo Salvini, leader of the anti-immigrant League Party, also posted on X, highlighting the driver’s North African origins and calling him a ‘second-generation criminal’.

Meanwhile, PM Meloni’s visit to Cyprus was viewed as extremely important, as both the countries move to strengthen bilateral relations through a new strategic cooperation framework.

Briefing journalists at the presidential palace on Friday – 15th May 2026, government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said that discussions between President Nikos Christodoulides and Meloni had already led to work on a joint partnership document designed to formalise cooperation between the two EU member states. “The relations between Cyprus and Italy are currently at the highest level, with the cooperation between the two countries acquiring a more specific and strategic content”, Letymbiotis said.

He said the visit aimed to upgrade the relationship “to an even more structured level” through “a specific roadmap, clear pillars of cooperation and tangible deliverables”. Talks are expected to focus on defence and security cooperation, including collaboration within the quadrilateral framework involving Cyprus, Greece, France and Italy.

Energy will also feature prominently on the agenda, particularly in relation to the activities of Italian energy company ENI in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). According to Letymbiotis, Italy is currently Cyprus’ third largest trading partner.

Discussions will also cover tourism, education and culture. Particular emphasis is expected to be placed on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor initiative (IMEC), with Letymbiotis describing Cyprus as an integral part of regional interconnections.

“Cyprus, due to its geography, its infrastructure, its regional collaborations and the projects that have already entered into implementation, has an essential role to play in the next stages of shaping the corridor”, Letymbiotis said, adding that Italy was ‘a valuable partner in this effort’.

The two leaders were also supposedly to exchange views on wider European and regional developments, including Ukraine, migration, as well as the present situation in the Middle East.

Letymbiotis said Christodoulides would brief Meloni on the latest developments in the Cyprus issue and efforts to resume substantive negotiations within the agreed UN framework. “Cyprus recognises and appreciates Italy’s consistent stance on the Cyprus issue, based on international law and the European approach to the issue”, he said.

The visit carries added diplomatic significance as it will be the first bilateral visit by an Italian prime minister to Cyprus in 36 years. Letymbiotis said the trip formed part of a broader series of high-level international visits which reflect Cyprus ‘upgraded credibility’ on the international stage.

Team Maverick.