Thirty-seven years have passed since the Turkish Army invaded Cyprus. As a result, Cyprus is the only European country which is divided and thousands of Cypriots live far from their place of origin. The negotiations concerning the Cyprus issue continue, but there is little progress.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan who is visiting the occupied territories of Cyprus seems uncompromising. Erdogan attended a parade of the Turkish army at the occupied side of Nicosia.
At 5.30 a.m., at the time when the Turkish invasion started in 1974, the sirens sounded at the free territories of Cyprus. The Greek- Cypriots honored those who died during the Turkish invasion and condemned the Turkish occupation of one-third of the island’s territory and are ready to work towards a reunification of their island.
In the morning, Archbishop Chrysostomos held a memorial service for the officers and soldiers who died during the Turkish invasion.
Later in the day, the Archbishop held another memorial service at the Panagia Faneromeni church for those who died. He pleaded for the freedom of Cyprus and asked to find out at last what happened to the missing persons.
The President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias and the Greek Minister of Defense Panos Beglitis attended the memorial.
Cypriot political parties stated: “They condemned the Turkish invasion and honor those who were sacrificed to defend the national sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus.”
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