The Deputy Minister of National Defence, Mr. Gianns Kefalogiannis, represented the Hellenic Government in the events of the Republic of Cyprus on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Turkish Invasion in Cyprus, which were held in Nicosia in the presence of its President, Mr. Nikos Christodoulidis.
The Deputy Minister of National Defence was accompanied by the Chief HNDGS, General Dimitrios Choupis.
At first, Mr. Kefalogiannis attended the unveiling of the Statues of Heroes, Lieutenant Generals Christos Fotis, Tasos Markou and Andreas Arestis, the Memorial Service and laid a wreath on the Tomb of Makedonitissa.
Then, he visited the Holy Church of Apostolos Varnavas in Kokkinotrimithia, where he attended the Memorial Service in honour of the Fallen during the Turkish invasion, officiated by the Venerable Archbishop Georgios of New Justiniana and All Cyprus, where he also delivered a speech.
The Memorial Service was attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Cyprus and President of the Democratic Rally party Mr. Annita Demetriou, the Vice Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament and MP for Kilkis Mr. Georgios Georgantas – representing the Hellenic Government, leaders and representatives from parliamentary parties of Greece and Cyprus, the Ambassador of Greece in Cyprus Mr. Ioannis Papameletiou, the Chief of the NGGS Lieutenant General Georgios Tsitsikostas, delegations from the Armed Forces of Greece and Cyprus, as well as members of the families of Fallen and Missing Persons from Greece and Cyprus.
Then, he visited the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Cyprus, where he had an official meeting with Minister Mr. Vasilis Palmas, in the presence of the Chief HNDGS, the Chief NGGS, the Commander of the Higher Military Command of Interior and Islands Lieutenant General Emmanouil Theodorou, and the Ambassador of Greece in Cyprus.
Within the framework of the meeting, matters of mutual interest were discussed, such as amongst others our bilateral defence and military cooperation, the security status of the Republic of Cyprus and our actions to achieve conditions of peace, stability and cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Mr. Palmas referred to the efforts by the Cypriot Government to break the deadlock and return to the negotiation process, on the basis of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and thanked Mr. Kefalogiannis for the long-term support offered by Greece to the Republic of Cyprus.
Mr. Kefalogiannis expressed his gratitude to all those who sacrificed their lives in the name of the Country on the 20th day of July of 1974 and affirmed the excellent and smooth cooperation between Greece and Cyprus in all respects, always in compliance with International Law and the International Law of the Sea.
In his statement, the Deputy Minister of National Defence highlighted the following:
“I am here today in Cyprus, representing the Hellenic Government and the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, 50 years after that fateful day of 20th July 1974, to pay tribute with a deep sense of sentimentality to the Greek Cypriot Heroes and Greek fighters, who fell in action for God and Country. The Heroes, who left their indelible mark in the sacred Cypriot fight. The common objective and top national priority remains a fair and sustainable solution of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and in compliance with the European acquis. A solution that will be final for the Cyprus issue; that will restore the international law and order and will set Cyprus free again. Greece and Cyprus are pillars of stability, peace and security in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region and will keep on working towards the full withdrawal of Turkish occupying troops from the Island and the achievement of national objectives, always strongly committed to the respect for International Law. They will forever be immortal!”
The speech delivered by the Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Giannis Kefalogiannis at the memorial service held in honour of the Fallen during the Turkish invasion in 1974 at the Holy Church of the Archdiocese of Cyprus is given below:
“Today, 50 years after that fateful day of 20th July 1974, a “black” day for Cyprus and the entire Hellenism, I am standing here in the land of the heroes, representing the Prime Minister, to pay tribute to the Greek Cypriot Heroes and Greek fighters. To those Heroes, who sacrificed their lives to defend the beloved country during Turkey’s brutal invasion. The feeling of deep emotion for those heroically fallen heroes during the invasion cannot be described. And this emotion gets deeper, considering that the fallen during this great national tragedy have joined the Pantheon of Heroes, along with all those who watered the tree of liberty with their blood.
Words can hardly describe the feeling of pain of the Cypriot Hellenism. And at the same time, they are not enough to give the actual dimension of the events and heroic actions that took place during that black summer. The only way to perceive the magnitude of this horror and the calamity caused by the shameful invasion, would be to hear one-by-one all those who went through tragical moments, days and nights full of agony caused by hard ordeals, unbearable hardships and pain. All those who deal with death on a daily basis, without fear, sacrificing their own life in the name of their ideals and the Country.
We bow the knee in memory of all Cypriot and Greek heroically fallen fighters, who performed the sacred duty of defending the Country with a spirit of selflessness. All of them brought up with the communion wine of glorious Greek history, remained faithful to their vows and the age-old values of our race, showing with their utmost sacrifice what it means to serve the Country until the last drop of your blood. An overview of those dramatic events gives us the opportunity today, while respecting the historical memory, to draw the necessary lessons and standards, as an action of fighting awakening, as a step towards national uprising and as an inspiration for the timeless values of freedom, independence and justice. The sacrifice of the Fallen, who honoured the flag and the battles for the nation’s freedom through its long history, fulfilling their duty to the full extent, constitutes a national commitment that places its own moral stamp unto the issue of the definitive and full vindication of the sacred Cypriot struggle.
At dawn on July 20 1974, the Turkish invasion of Cyprus began. The operation was codenamed “ATTILA” by the Turks, after the ruler of the Huns Attila, known for his brutal and military conquest, who had earned the nickname of “Flagellum Dei” or “the Scourge of God”. Because the consequences of the Turkish invasion can only be characterized as a “scourge” of human dignity and moral values; along with the ongoing occupation of over one third of Cyprus that constitutes a flagrant violation of international legitimacy, the uprooting and displacement of thousands of Cypriots from their home, the appropriation of their properties, the violation of human rights, the continuing suffering of the families of missing persons and the illegal Turkish colonization. As of that fateful day, fifty long years have passed and the wound caused by the unprovoked and illegal invasion of “Attila” is still bleeding.
We have a duty as a Nation never to compromise on the tragic consequences of that brutality and the illegal, ongoing occupation of a sovereign and independent EU member-state. This unimaginable tragedy compels us to keep the sacrifice of those who fell for God and Country alive in our minds. We cannot forget and we will never forget the missing fighters, who defended with courage and strength the ultimate goods of freedom and independence of the Cypriot Hellenism, fact that constitutes a national and moral backlog that has to be resolved.
Our common objective and top national priority remains a fair and sustainable solution of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and in compliance with the European acquis. A solution that will be final for the Cyprus issue, and will restore the international law and order.
Greece and Cyprus, always strongly committed to the respect for International Law, pillars of stability in Eastern Mediterranean Sea and in the wider region, will keep up their tireless and joint efforts towards the full withdrawal of occupying troops, looking towards a future of welfare and progress in the Island.
In the summer of 1974, the NATIONAL GUARD and ELDYK watered the long-suffering Cypriot land with the blood of their heroes, contributing substantially to the freedom of Cypriot Hellenism.
We owe eternal gratitude to all those fearless fighters, for their insurmountable mental strength and their tireless courage, who established themselves as model heroes for current and future generations of Greeks. Heroes, who had the same ideals with the ones that inspired the 300 of Leonidas, the defenders of Constantinople, the fighters of the Greek War of Independence, but also the fighters of the Greco-Italian War. The same ideals that will inspire us to deal with whoever attempts to scheme against our dominance and our sovereign rights. The fighters of 1974 stood up when times were tough; they had not been afraid of death, nor did they consider their youth, their parents and brothers. They could only see the Country in front of them and fell heroically in the name of freedom and the independence of Cyprus. Our beloved, ever remembered heroes, we will never forget your contribution. You should know that you will always have a place in our soul and our mind and we will always be proud of you, of your sacrifice and your heroism. We never forget the pain, the innocent victims, the missing Cypriots and Greeks, who defended with courage and strength the freedom of Cyprus against the Turkish invader. And we will of course continue to remind Turkey’s responsibility for the unimaginable tragedy and the flagrant disregard of every precept of law.
It is with these thoughts that I would like to express the deepest feelings of respect and gratitude to the members of the families of the fallen and missing persons of the Cyprus tragedy. Those who offered their beloved ones to the Country and suffer the pain of loss for 50 years.
I would also like to congratulate the Cypriot people for their unique achievements. It is remarkable how a people that suffered an unspeakable tragedy, that was driven out of their homes and lost everything, managed to not only stand on their feet but also reach an incredible level of prosperity. How many mental reserves do they have? How hard every woman and every man has worked to help this little and suffering state get to this level? One thing is for sure. That the people of Cyprus are an example to anyone.
Furthermore, please allow me to extend since thanks to the Cypriot Government for its efforts for the collection, identification and burial of the sacred bones of the fallen with all appropriate honours, so that their souls would find rest and peace and at the same time, their families would feel a temporary “relief”.
Finally, I would like to convey to you the deepest feelings of honour and gratitude of the Hellenic Government and the Prime Minister for all those that sacrificed their life in the name of the Country, but also for their families that suffer the pain and the agony for half a century now. And along with that, the wish for a free Cyprus.
Allow me to conclude by quoting the late Deputy Commander of ELDYK, Panagiotis Stavroulopoulos, Lieutenant Colonel during the events of 1974:
“Sweet and unparalleled homeland, we will forever be holding you up so that you can give life blood and light in all corners of the globe; and that is because wonderful Greece you never die. You never died. YOU LIVE FOREVER as you said and MOLON LABE”.”
