AKEL honors the anniversary of Cyprus Independence Day by fighting for reunification and progressive change in the country’s governance

 

1 October 2022, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

AKEL commemorates the 62nd anniversary of Cyprus Independence. The establishment of the Republic of Cyprus was the culmination of fierce and long-lasting struggles that liberated Cyprus and its people from colonialism. The independence of Cyprus was shackled by detestable conditions that the British colonialists – with the cooperation of the then governments of Greece and Turkey – made sure to include in the well-known Zurich-London Agreements.

The shackled independence was the result, on the one hand, of the British colonialist’s machinations to safeguard their continued presence on our island, and by extension of NATO, which wanted Cyprus tied to its war machine, so that it could promote its criminal plans in the wider Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East region. On the other hand, the curtailed independence was the result of the short-sighted policy pursued by the Cypriot Right-wing, which did not allow the forging of a united front of the whole of the Cypriot people against the colonial power and remained fixed on its ideological obsessions and illusions.

Unfortunately, the Republic of Cyprus in the first critical years of its life had many enemies to confront, both on the domestic and external front. Domestically, the dominant forces in the Greek Cypriot community viewed independence as a stepping stone to achieving ‘Enosis’ (Note: union with Greece), and in the Turkish Cypriot community, as a stepping stone to partition.

Against this backdrop, foreign conspiracies and interventions, primarily investing in nationalism and chauvinism in both Cypriot communities, found fertile ground. Instead of being backed, the Republic of Cyprus was undermined and fought against. The culmination of the problems and conspiracies was the twin crimes that were planned by NATO and executed against Cyprus in the summer of 1974. Namely the treasonous coup d’état of the Junta of Greece and EOKA B and the subsequent brutal Turkish invasion of Attila. Since then, Cyprus has continued its struggle with the wounds of the Turkish occupation and de facto partition still open, which threaten the very future of our country and people.

At the critical juncture that our country is at today, it is imperative to regain our country’s international credibility and to convince the international community for a resumption of the talks from the point where they had remained at Crans Montana, on the basis of the Guterres Framework and the body of work agreed at the talks.

However, to convince the international community, we ourselves must first and foremost be consistent in pursuing this objective. AKEL will struggle with all its forces to put an end to the Turkish occupation and for the reunification of our homeland and people, for the solution of bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, so that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots can co-manage their common future.

Aware of the debt we owe to those who sacrificed their lives for the defence of Cyprus’ independence and democracy, drawing momentum from its history, AKEL will devote all its forces to bring progressive change in the governance of the country, to stop the slide of the rule of law, institutions and values and to bring better days for our country and people, for the young generations.

Because Cyprus deserves, because Cyprus can turn a new page. With Andreas Mavroyiannis it can.