Nicosia: The office of the Presidential Commissioner Marios Hartsiotis announced on Wednesday that it will be launching an annual presentation of the efforts to determine the fate of the missing persons in Cyprus. In a statement, the Presidential Commissioner's office emphasized that transparency, systematic information, and briefing are essential for the responsible management of such a sensitive and deeply humanitarian issue. The first annual public presentation is scheduled for January 2027 and will cover the period from January 1 to December 31, 2026.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the statement highlights the importance of providing valid and substantial information to families who have awaited answers about the fate of their loved ones for decades. It stresses the state's obligation to offer clear and responsible information regarding the actions taken, results obtained, existing difficulties, and future steps. The presentation will be conducted in collaboration with the Commissioner's office, the Committee for Missing Persons (CMP), and the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics.
The presentation is intended for the relatives of the missing, their organizations, relevant authorities, the media, and any interested parties involved in determining the fate of the missing persons. Information will be disseminated at three levels: by the Office of the Presidential Commissioner, which will present the initiatives, actions, interventions, and results from the previous year; by the representative of the Republic of Cyprus to the CMP, who will provide details on conducted excavations, investigations, and future plans; and by the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, which will share progress and results related to identification procedures.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Since then, the fate of hundreds of people remains unknown. A Committee on Missing Persons was established as part of an agreement between the leaders of the two communities to exhume, identify, and return the remains of 492 Turkish Cypriots and 1,510 Greek Cypriots who went missing during the inter-communal fighting of 1963-1964 and in 1974.
According to statistical data published on the CMP website by June 30, 2026, out of 2,002 missing persons, 1,719 were exhumed, and 1,075 were identified. Among the 1,510 Greek Cypriot missing persons, 764 were identified, while 746 remain missing. Of the 492 Turkish Cypriot missing persons, 311 were identified, and 181 are still missing.