Nicosia: Cyprus commemorates on Tuesday the national anniversary of 1 April 1955, when the anti-colonial struggle against the British kicked off by EOKA organization, with celebrations and events in all towns of the government-controlled areas of the island.
According to Cyprus News Agency, in a speech on Monday evening during an event held in Avgorou, in Famagusta district, on the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the 1955-1959 liberation struggle, the President said that “70 years since the purest struggle in this land, current days are critical. Our homeland is still divided, under Turkish occupation with the fait accompli getting worse day by day”.
He added that “there is neither time nor space for complacency, let alone acceptance of the fait accompli of the invasion”, further noting that “we are making intense and concerted efforts to break the deadlock with every diplomatic means, to take advantage of international circumstances and with the Republic of Cyprus, the European acquis, the Security
Council resolutions as a valuable negotiating power”.
The President of the Republic reiterated his “strong conviction” that “we all have an obligation to tell our children and the new generation about EOKA, about the struggles and sacrifices of all those who gave their lives so that we can exist today, so that the Republic of Cyprus can exist today”.
This, he continued, “in no way works negatively towards the possibility of a solution to the Cyprus problem, since the viability of any solution passes to a large extent through respect for the historical identity of each individual and certainly not through self-abolition”.
In Nicosia, the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, attends on Tuesday morning a doxology at the Apostolos Varnavas Cathedral. Costas Mavrides, member of the European Parliament, will deliver the solemn speech of the day.
Later on, the President of the Republic will go to the Imprisoned Graves, where Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus will hold a ceremony at the graves of the h
eroes, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony. The President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, will also attend the doxology and the Imprisoned Graves ceremony.
In the afternoon, President Christodoulides and the House President will attend the event organised by the EOKA 1955-59 Historical Commemoration Council, the EOKA 1955-59 Fighters’ Associations and the EOKA 1955-59 Liberation Struggle Foundation at the “Tassos Papadopoulos – Eleftheria” Indoor Hall, entitled “70 years of EOKA – 70 years of uninterrupted light”.
Celebrations, events and parades are also taking place in the other cities and communities of the government-controlled areas of Cyprus, with the participation of members of the government.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.