Maria Panayiotou

Between 2004 and 2022, she worked on several funded research projects, and between 2017 and 2022, she taught economic history at the University of Cyprus.^[1] Panayiotou was press officer and spokesperson for the EDEK party between March 2016 and February 2023.^[1]

Her research has focused on the country's economic history, agricultural export trade, and British fiscal policy, as well as Cyprus' port infrastructure.^[1] Panayiotou has published several scientific articles and participated in conferences around the world.^[1]

She was Commissioner for Environment between March 2023 and January 2024.^[1] On 5 January 2024 Panayiotou was sworn in as the new Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment under president Nikos Christodoulides.^[2]

In April 2024, she promoted a national water investment plan with dozens of supply, irrigation, and reuse projects, valued at hundreds of millions of euros, to tackle drought and improve the management of water.^[3] In October 2024 she announced a new strategy for the primary sector with a budget of €109.3 million.^[4] In December 2025, there were rumors that she might be removed from her position as minister, but Christodoulides kept her on during a government reshuffle.^[5]

Panayiotou was appointed professor of Greek and literature in August 2025 and requested a one-year suspension due to incompatibility with her role as minister, which was accepted. She requested another suspension in February 2026, but her request was rejected.^[6]

After the 2025 Limassol wildfires, AKEL called for her resignation or dismissal in February 2026, criticizing her “failed” response to the fires, drought, and foot-and-mouth disease outbreak that began that same week.^[7] Faced with this outbreak affecting livestock, Panayiotou announced on 25 February a plan to vaccinate thousands of farm animals.^[8]

She has a son.^[1]