**Title: Christodoulides Attends Memorial Service for Victims of 1974 Coup d'État**
Nicosia, Cyprus - President Nikos Christodoulides participated in a memorial service on Wednesday morning at the Saints Constantinos and Eleni church in Nicosia, honoring those who lost their lives during the 1974 coup d'état in Cyprus. The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Archbishop Georgios and House President Annita Demetriou.
The memorial service featured a speech by former Edek MP Kostis Efstathiou, who paid tribute to the victims, describing them as "the proud guardians of the borders of freedom and democracy." Efstathiou emphasized that the coup represented the first of two calamities faced by Cyprus, the second being the subsequent Turkish invasion. He characterized the coup as an "unforgivable and criminal act" akin to treason, arguing that it provided Turkey with the justification it sought to intervene in the island's affairs.
Efstathiou lamented the internal conflict that the coup incited, stating, "The worst thing is that it turned Greek against Greek, arming and ordering one to turn against his brother, his fellow villager, and his friend." He called for honoring the victims through actions rather than mere words, asserting that monuments bearing their names serve as a constant reminder of the debt owed to historical memory.
Addressing the ongoing Cyprus problem, Efstathiou expressed concerns over Turkey's intentions, claiming that it seeks the "Turkification of Cyprus." He urged that honoring the dead requires resistance to these plans and emphasized the need to prioritize the fight for liberation. He outlined a multifaceted approach to defense, advocating for democratic, national, political, spiritual, cultural, and military fortification.
Efstathiou asserted that a sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue must be just, liberal, and democratic, insisting that the Cypriot people should not relinquish their guaranteed rights. He concluded by stating that realism lies not in renouncing the right to freedom but in asserting it, envisioning a free and democratic Cyprus for all its citizens, free from divisions and characterized by equality and egalitarianism.
The memorial service served as a poignant reminder of the historical significance of the events of 1974 and the ongoing challenges facing Cyprus.