Cyprus celebrates Independence Day

A military parade took place in Nicosia on Monday to mark the independence of the Republic of Cyprus, when the island moved from being a British colony to an official UN member state 58 years ago.

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades received the salute of the parade in the presence of the country’s political, church and military leadership, celebrating the declaration of independence in 1960. The Greek government was also represented by Defence Minister Panos Kammenos, along with two F16 fighter jets from the Hellenic Air Force in a flyover. 

Earlier in the day, the president attended a memorial service for the fallen, who were being honoured for their resistance to a short-lived coup engineered by Athens on 15 July 1974. A week after the coup d’ état failed, the Turkish military invaded the island by invoking a treaty signed by three guarantor countries, Turkey, Greece, and Britain.

Anastasiades also attended another ceremony where he laid a wreath at the burial site in honour of 13 EOKA fighters, who fought during the 1955-1959 campaign against the British.

He also laid a wreath before the statue of Archbishop Makarios III, the first President of the Republic of Cyprus, which became independent on 16 August 1960 but celebrations were moved to October 1 a few years later.

Following interethnic violence in 1963-64, Turkish Cypriots had walked out of government and a United Nations mission arrived on the island to keep the peace. Greek Cypriots stayed put at the steering wheel of the Republic carrying on in the south, while a self declared state in the north is recognised only by Turkey.

The President and the First Lady were also scheduled to host a banquet for the diplomatic corps after the parade.