On Wednesday 19 July 2023, the Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikolaos Chardalias, concluding his official visit to Cyprus, represented the Greek Government at the events in memory and honour of the Fallen and Missing Officers and Soldiers in commemoration of the 49 years since the 1974 Turkish invasion, which were held by the Republic of Cyprus in Nicosia, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Nikolaos Christodoulidis.
The Deputy Minister of National Defence was accompanied by the Chief HNDGS General Konstantinos Floros.
At first, Mr. Chardalias attended the Memorial service and laid a wreath at the Tomb of Makedonitissa, while afterwards he attended the commemorative service for the Fallen during the Turkish invasion that was held at the Holy Church of Apostle Barnabas, Archdiocese of Cyprus, officiated by His Beatitude Archbishop George III of New Justiniana and All Cyprus.
The events and the memorials were also attended by relatives of Missing Persons from Greece and Cyprus, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President of the Democratic Rally Ms. Annita Demetriou, the Member of the Hellenic Parliament for Lasithi, Mr. Ioannis Plakiotakis, representatives of Leaders of parliamentary parties of the Republic of Cyprus, the Ambassador of Greece in Cyprus Mr. Ioannis Papameletiou, the General Director of the Ministry of Defence of Cyprus Mr. Andreas Loukas, the Deputy Chief of the National Guard Lieutenant General Loukas Chatzimichail, the Commander of ELDYK Colonel Panagiotis Keramidas, delegations of members of the Armed Forces of Greece and Cyprus, and others.
In his speech, the Deputy Minister of National Defence stated:
“Not a minute passes without recalling the painful consequences of this violent invasion. We do not forget that 49 years later, 37% of our island remains under Turkish occupation.
Athens and Nicosia, in full coordination, are working relentlessly on the reunification of the island and on finding a sustainable, fair, operational solution in accordance with the UN Security Council’s resolutions, which shall be based on the withdrawal of Turkish troops, but mainly will have to relieve the Greek-Cypriot people from anachronistic guarantees”.
