Larnaca: President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, pledged on Saturday that the state is doing its utmost to prevent a tragedy similar to the 2011 Mari naval base explosion from happening again, while renewing the Republic's apology for the mistakes and omissions that led to the disaster. According to Cyprus News Agency, delivering the address at the annual memorial service for the 13 victims of the July 11, 2011 explosion at the "Evangelos Florakis" naval base in Mari, in Larnaca district, the President said the state has introduced institutional procedures, continuous training, strict protocols and international best practices aimed at reducing risks and strengthening public safety. "Through institutionalised procedures and continuous training, based on strict protocols and international practices, we are doing everything humanly possible to reduce potential risks, act preventively and provide safety in all sectors," he said. The President also stressed that assuming responsibility is "the highes t virtue" for those entrusted with serving citizens, adding that the 13 men who lost their lives in the disaster "define the duty of all of us who hold public office to act responsibly and remain accountable to the citizens." The President repeated the state's apology to the victims' families, saying: "As President of the Republic of Cyprus, on behalf of the State, I owe you a sincere apology and ask for forgiveness for the mistakes and omissions that led to the deadly explosion." He noted that the blast claimed the lives of 13 people, destroyed the country's main power generation facility, caused extensive economic damage and plunged Cyprus into an unprecedented crisis. The President acknowledged that "our homeland remains forever exposed because it failed to provide them with the necessary safety," adding that this "unfulfilled duty continues to weigh on the collective memory and conscience of the Cypriot people." President Christodoulides also stressed that the Mari site serves as a reminder that the s tate has a duty to safeguard human life and critical infrastructure, particularly in a country that has remained under occupation for 52 years, adding that strengthening the sense of security is a top priority for every state. The annual memorial service for the 13 victims was held at the Church inside the "Evangelos Florakis" Naval Base in the presence of the President of the Republic and state officials. Before the service, President Christodoulides inspected an inter-service National Guard honour guard comprising naval, army and air force personnel, while the National Guard Military Band performed military marches and the national anthem. The ceremony included a one-minute silence and a wreath-laying ceremony. Later on Saturday, another ceremony honouring the firefighters who lost their lives in the Mari disaster was held at the EMAK rescue unit's headquarters in Kofinou, in the presence of President Christodoulides, senior state officials and the families of the victims. Wreaths were laid at the firefi ghters' memorial, a one-minute silence was observed and the ceremony concluded with the singing of the national anthem. House President Annita Demetriou, Metropolitan Gregory of Paphos, relatives of the victims, state officials, MPs and representatives of the security forces and local authorities also attended. Earlier in the day, at 0400 local time, members of the EMAK rescue unit carried out the traditional memorial march from Kofinou to the "Evangelos Florakis" Naval Base at Mari, retracing the approximately 17-kilometre route taken by EMAK emergency vehicles as they responded to the fatal explosion on July 11, 2011. The march was led by an EMAK command vehicle carrying the unit's commander and was escorted by the Police and Ambulance Service. The Mari explosion, triggered by the detonation of confiscated munitions stored at the naval base, killed 13 people, devastated Cyprus's largest power station at nearby Vasiliko and caused severe damage to the country's economy.