On Tuesday 22 July 2025, the Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias attended the repatriation ceremony from the Republic of Cyprus to Greece, of the remains of six (6) soldiers, who fell during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974.

During the homecoming of the remains in Elefsis Air Base, tribute was paid to the fallen soldiers, and a memorial service was officiated in their memory.

The ceremony was attended by MP Nina Kasimati as representative of the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Dimitrios Houpis, the Chief of Hellenic Army General Staff, Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, the Chief of Hellenic Navy General Staff, Vice Admiral Dimitrios – Eleftherios Kataras HN, and the Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff, Lieutenant General (HAF) Dimosthenis Grigoriadis.

The ceremony was also attended by the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Athens Stavros Avgoustidis, the Chairwoman of the Panhellenic Committee of Parents and Relatives of Undeclared Prisoners and Missing Persons of the Cyprus Tragedy Maria Kalbourtzi, the families and relatives of the fallen soldiers.

During the ceremony, the Minister of National Defence stated the following:

“Today, Greece fulfils a historic duty and does what is expected: It pays the much deserved tribute to the fallen and their vindicated families.

After decades of waiting, Greece repatriates the remains of six Greek soldiers, who fell as heroes during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. It brings them back, that is, to their homeland.

The fulfilment of this duty constitutes the ancient tradition of Hellenism. Namely, the recovery, appropriate tribute, and respect to our dead.

I would like to remind you of a historic example; that of the Athenian admirals, who received the death penalty after returning victorious from the naval battle of Arginusae, because they were unable to recover their dead due to rough seas.

The Ark of National Remembrance at the Ministry of National Defence is a modern memorial of respect to the fallen of modern Greece. An exceptional work by Kostas Varotsos, on which the names of all those who fell for Greece on the battlefield are engraved.

The search and identification of missing persons in Cyprus have not stopped for five decades now. They were then, and still constitute, a national priority. Today, our hearts and thoughts are with the relatives of the fallen.

We fully understand and respect the sorrow of their long anticipation.

The case of missing persons in Cyprus reminds us that, for Hellenism, there are no unidentified casualties and verifying the identity of those who fell for our Country is our duty, in order to pay tribute to them.

Also, returning them to our Country is a case that concerns all true Greeks.

At this point, allow me to express my thanks to the Republic of Cyprus and all those who worked faithfully, patiently, and with dedication for today’s homecoming ceremony.

This coordinated effort verifies that it is possible to surpass obstacles and that no national effort falters before difficulty.

The search for every missing Greek person continues ceaselessly and the State will persist until every family receives the vindication it deserves.

The Nation and the Armed Forces rise in respect. They honour by name the Greeks, who, at long last, return to their Country today:

Reserve Warrant Officer Themistoklis Eleftheropoulos

Reserve Warrant Officer Stefanos Koutroulis

Reserve Warrant Officer Lambros Nikitopoulos

Reserve Warrant Officer Theodoros Xenos

Reserve Warrant Officer Georgios Rousis

Reserve Warrant Officer Theodoros Charalambidis

Our fallen heroes constitute a timeless example.

In addition, I would like to stress that all fallen soldiers being honoured today are reserve officers. Because through time, the Country’s Defence has been based on the army of civilians apart from its worthy, professional personnel.

This constitutes a stable national advantage, because the defence power of our Country is not only based in technological capability and superiority. It is mainly based on the will, self-sacrifice, patriotism, and selfless contribution of its citizens.

Moreover, the tradition of the Institution of Reserves is our priceless national legacy. It flows through Greek history for the past 2,500 years.

Armed citizens fought in Marathon, Salamis, and even on the mountains of Epirus and Fort Roupel.

During any time of crisis, Greek citizens exceed their limitations, the inherent faults of the race, and unify under the idea of defending the Country and themselves until their ultimate sacrifice, which is the responsibility of all citizens towards their Country. This is our distinctive characteristic: the unwavering foundations of our national security.

This is what the great reform of the Armed Forces, known as the “Agenda 2030” is based on and aims at the establishment of the most powerful, best trained and equipped army of citizens in Europe, and allow me to say, the whole world.

Today, the remains of our fallen soldiers return to the land that nourished them and, of course, their names will not be forgotten.

As stressed previously, their sacrifice is engraved on the Ark of National Remembrance and the collective and timeless memory of the Nation, namely the truth. Because the truth in the Greek language means the rejection of oblivion. It is the living preservation of our memory.

May they rest in peace”.

After the ceremony, the remains will be buried in the hometowns of the fallen by their relatives, in cooperation with the local military Formations.

The previous day, Monday 21 July 2025, the formal transfer ceremony of the remains of the 6 fallen soldiers was held in Nicosia, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides, the Speaker of the Cypriot Parliament Annita Dimitriou, the representative of the Hellenic Parliament Nina Kasimati, the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus Vasilis Palmas, and the Deputy Minister of National Defence of Greece Thanasis Davakis.

The burial of the remains of 10 Greek fallen soldiers followed, as their relatives elected for them to be buried at the Tomb of Makedonitissa in Nicosia. Ms. Kasimati accompanied the transportation of the remains of the six fallen soldiers to Greece.