Speech by the General Secretary of AKEL Stefanos Stefanou at the memorial service of the 4 Heroes of the Ayi Yianni neighbourhood

 

13 July 2025, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

We commemorate today the memory of the four Heroes of the working class neighbourhood of Ayi Yianni in Larnaca.

Georgios Adamos Hajistephanis, 46 years old.

Achilleas Kourtellis, 24 years old.

Georgios Charalambous, 17 years old.

Andreas Theodosiou, 14 years old.

Heroes of our people and our country. Heroes of AKEL and the Left.

All four were murdered in cold blood by the EOKA B coupists on the morning of the coup on 15 July 1974. They had all taken to the streets, together with other fellow fighters, to spread the message that Makarios was alive and to stir up the people to resist the treachery by defending democracy.

We honour the heroes of Ayi Yianni, as well as all the heroes of the democratic resistance, because at the critical moment they did not hide, they did not remain apathetic and chose to take the dangerous, for their lives, path of defending democracy, constitutional order and our Cyprus, since the plans were known. The coup was executed to pave the way for Turkey to invade. The resistance to the coup sought to prevent the implementation of NATO’s plans for the partition of Cyprus.

We are proud because on the side of resistance to the treacherous coup, but also in defence of our country’s freedom from Turkey’s invading army, there were many members and cadres of AKEL and the Peoples Movement of the Left. Militants and members of the Party were imprisoned, tortured and murdered by the EOKA B coupists because they stood up to them. This fact is yet another irrefutable and tangible proof that the Cypriot Left is profoundly democratic and patriotic. It has always been at the forefront of the struggles for our country and people with its members and militants. In all political and social struggles.

Every time we pay tribute to the heroes who fought for freedom and democracy – as we do today by commemorating the four heroes of Ayi Yianni – the important issue of defending the historical truth inevitably emerges in the debate. For many years now, certain forces on the Right have been trying to falsify it. In recent years, the campaign to falsify the historical truth has been joined by the far right, which unfortunately is raising its head and threatening Cyprus once again.

It is for this reason that AKEL has intensified its efforts to defend the historical truth. It is for this reason that we speak with greater intensity about the treason and crime that was committed against Cyprus. And, while talking about them, we will continue with all the strength of our soul to refute the myths that the falsifiers of historical truth are trying to sell to society within the context of a dangerous revisionism.

The first myth is that the coup was organised and executed only by the Greek junta. Namely that supposedly no Cypriot was involved as a protagonist. This myth attempts to erase the treacherous role of EOKA B and Grivas who has signed specific plans for the execution of a coup d’etat.

The second myth is that the coup was supposed to have been some action by fools. It was neither foolish, nor stupid. There was a specific plan drawn up in the NATO headquarters with the participation of junta-controlled Greece and Turkey. There were many public statements and publications revealing the plans and warning that the coup would result in Turkey invading Cyprus. Therefore, no one can be credited with ignorance of the disastrous development that the overthrow of the constitutional order would have had. The coup was treasonous, not some foolish act.

The third myth is that the coup was supposedly a “civil war”. What the proponents of this myth are trying to erase is that the coupists were opposed to the Constitution and legitimacy and cannot be placed on the same level as the defenders of democracy. Treason is treason and nothing can be forgiven.

The fourth myth – which is the most obscene – is that Makarios, in his speech to the UN Security Council on 19 July 1974, supposedly called on Turkey to invade. Numerous historical documents document that Turkey’s Armed Forces General Staff met on 16 July and the country’s National Security Council on 17 July to rubber stamp the decision to invade Cyprus. And the convoy of the Turkish invasion began before Makarios’ speech to the UN Security Council.

The truth is that without the coup, the Turkish invasion would not have taken place. It is the coup that paved the way for the invasion. It is also the coup that ripped up Cyprus’ defence plans. It is the coupists who did not permit any resistance to emerge in the first critical hours of the invasion.

That is precisely why we have to remind ourselves of the historical truth. For only if we are conscious of history can we chart the correct course for now and tomorrow. The vindication of our heroes, the redemption of our homeland, the safeguarding of the future of future generations will only become a reality when Cyprus is freed from the Turkish occupation, only when our land and our people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, are reunited.

We will continue this struggle, under the flag of Cyprus, under the flag of freedom and peace, on the path of the common struggle for a reunited homeland within the framework of a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality as outlined in the relevant UN resolutions and as agreed in the negotiations.

We will continue to struggle for a solution to the Cyprus problem with commitment and consistency to what has been agreed to date between the two communities of Cyprus. Particularly today, when the Turkish side is now officially insisting on a two-state solution, we must be even clearer, even more determined, even more consistent to the agreed basis for a solution.

Given the negative attitude of the Turkish side, we must undertake initiatives that must aim to continue the negotiations on the basis of the Guterres Framework from the point where they were interrupted in 2017 and to preserve the negotiating acquis (body of work).

The aim is to achieve a solution to achieve a free, reunited and demilitarised Cyprus. A place of peace, progress and prosperity that will have healed the wounds once and for all. One that has left behind the nationalism and chauvinism that have stained its history with blood. That will have freed itself once and for all from the barbed wire of occupation. Which will walk into the future with its people united, masters in their homeland, creators of their future.

That’s how the sacrifices of our heroes will be vindicated.

The memory of the four Heroes of Ayi Yianni will live on.