The absence of any reference to the coup d’état is an insult to democracy and its defenders

Letter of the General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL S.Stefanou to the President of the Republic

26 April 2024, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

The General Secretary of the Central Committee of AKEL, Stefanos Stefanou, sent a letter to the President of the Republic on the occasion of the Ministry of Education’s circular on actions to be taken in schools on the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion, from which the role of the coup is absent. Stefanos Stefanou calls on the President of the Republic to take a stand on the issue, while pointing out that the role of the coup in the tragedy of 1974 must not be absent or even worse, should not be deleted from such events that the government may organize.

The letter from the General Secretary of the Central Committee of AKEL to the President of the Republic is reproduced in full:

“In view of the circular issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth, entitled “Actions for the tragic anniversary of the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion”, in which the role of the coup d’état in the 1974 disaster is absent, a fact that is completely unacceptable, please inform me whether you adopt the content of the said circular.

On this occasion, I also request that you inform me of the government’s plans – if any – to organise and promote events and initiatives to mark the 50th anniversary of the twin crimes committed of the treasonous coup and the barbaric Turkish invasion.

AKEL believes strongly that the government must clearly set the political framework of the events and initiatives it may intend to organise, a framework from which the role of the coup in the

 

tragedy of 1974 must clearly not be absent or, even worse, be deleted, which would constitute a falsification/distortion of the historical truth and an insult to democracy itself and our people’s struggles to defend it.”