Greece’s political leadership on Saturday is observing a day of solemn remembrance on the bleak 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, on July 20, 1974, which resulted in the continued occupation of approximately one-third of the east Mediterranean island republic.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived in Nicosia to attend a commemoration event at the presidential mansion, hosted by Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides. According to state broadcaster ERT, President Christodoulides is expected to meet with Mitsotakis in the late afternoon, after which the latter will deliver an address.
Earlier on Saturday, Mitsotakis posted a statement on his X account, stating: “Half a century since the national tragedy of Cyprus. We honor those who lost their lives and continue to strive for a unified European state, based on UN resolutions, free from foreign occupying forces.”
Additionally, the presidents of the SYRIZA and PASOK parties are already on Cyprus, in part to promote a restart of Cyprus talks and to meet with Cypriot leadership. Along those lines, SYRIZA President Stefanos Kasselakis has announced plans to “internationalize”, as he said, the issue of the missing persons from the conflict.
PASOK party president Nikos Androulakis, during his visit to Cyprus, on Saturday, July 20, 2024
SYRIZA party president Stefanos Kasselakis, during his visit to Cyprus, on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ΙΑΚΩΒΟΣ ΧΑΤΖΗΣΤΑΥΡΟΥ/ΓΡΑΦΕΙΟ ΤΥΠΟΥ ΣΥΡΙΖΑ-ΠΣ/EUROKINISSI)
Back in Athens, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou attended an archieratical memorial service on Saturday for those who fell during the 1974 coup and subsequent Turkish invasion. Following the service, she laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Afterwards, Sakellaropoulou emphasized: “We do not forget the heroes, both Cypriot and Greek, who resisted the invader with unparalleled bravery and sacrificed their lives fighting against a superior enemy. We continue to support the families of the missing until the fate of all their loved ones is determined. Achieving justice for the sacred Cypriot struggle through a fair and sustainable solution based on United Nations resolutions and European law remains our highest goal and duty to history.”
The remembrance events coincide with a militaristic ‘fiesta’ in the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus, attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which the Turkish side describes as the “50th Anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation.”
Additionally, it is noteworthy that this year’s dour anniversary follows a recent meeting between UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and PM Mitsotakis, who has called for a resumption of UN-brokered bi-communal talks to address the long-standing Cyprus issue.
