Only heroes are worthy of Laurel wreaths

 

15 July 2026, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

For yet another year, the Christodoulides government, DISY and far-right ELAM have once again laid laurel wreaths, on the anniversary of the coup, in honor of the Commandos who had attacked the Presidential Palace on 15 July 1974.

There is no other modern state where honors reserved for heroes are bestowed upon those who took up arms against the Republic and Democracy, whose actions have been proven to have led the country to a catastrophe.

Regrettably, to this very day, the Right and the far right—instead of engaging in a bold self-criticism and offering an apology for the sake of the unity of our struggling people—continue to provoke. They honor those who executed the orders of the Greek military junta and EOKA B. They glorify the architects of the treason committed and fascist violence, as well as the principal perpetrators of the twin crime that drowned our homeland in blood  in 1974.

This stance of theirs is an outrage for every rational and democratic person and viciously insults the memory of the hundreds of heroes who resisted the coup and the invasion.

AKEL will never accept this provocation, nor the distortion of History regarding the tragic events of 1974. No betrayal can be committed without the existence of traitors, nor a crime without the actions of criminals. No matter how many years pass, we will continue to speak out against the crime and treason that was committed. We will continue to fight so that History becomes our conscience and compass for the future.