Cyprus Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou addresses Serres ceremony on 1974 invasion

A commemorative ceremony was held in Serres, Greece, organized by the municipality, the Federation of Cypriot Organizations of Greece and the Union of Cypriot District of Serres. It marked the 52nd anniversary of the 1974 coup and Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Cypriot Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou, Deputy Foreign Minister Tasos Chatzivasiliou, Serres Mayor Barbara Mitliagka and other officials attended.

Ioannou said the wounds of the 1974 events remain open, noting that refugees cannot return to their homes and families of the missing still seek answers, while fundamental human rights continue to be violated. He reaffirmed Cyprus’ goal of reunification and the removal of Turkish occupying forces. Chatzivasiliou called for a solution based on United Nations resolutions and highlighted that Nicosia remains the only divided capital in the European Union. Both officials emphasized Greece’s continuous support for Cyprus, citing the presence of a Greek warship in Cypriot waters as a symbolic and practical safeguard for the island’s Greek community.