At 8:20am on Monday, sirens sounded all over Cyprus to mark 45 years since the military junta then ruling Greece, carried out a coup against Cyprus President Archbishop Makarios, which was the excuse Turkey used to invade the island one week later.
To mark the anniversary of July 15, 1974 events, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades released a statement on Twitter. “Turkey took advantage of the coup as a pretext to implement its long-standing plans and has since continued to violate international law and call into question the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus.”
“With the democratic system functioning solidly in our country, we will not allow again, in any way and with any justification, the dissolution of the constitutional order in Cyprus,” he continued.
The sirens he said “still remind me that today we have a supreme duty: both leadership and the people, to deal united with the ongoing Turkish occupation and the new aggressive actions, in order to consolidate freedom in our homeland and its liberation from occupation.”
Anastasiades further stated that "we owe it to the next generations to bring peace and prosperity to our country at last."
A memorial service was held at the church of Constantinou and Elenis in South Nicosia, in the presence of the Finance Minister Harris Georgiades, government officials and other dignitaries.
The House of Representatives also held a special session today to denounce the coup, the Turkish invasion and honour those who died during the events.
