In his memorial speech at the National Memorial of the Heroes of Avgoros 1955-1959 and 1963-1964, the Defence Minister conveyed once again the support and commitment of the Cypriot government and personally of the President of the Republic, Nicos Anastasiades, in their struggle for a full and effective investigation of the fate of all the missing persons, so that this open wound of their families can finally be closed.
According to Charalambos Petridis, "the relatives of our missing heroes are unfortunately paying the heaviest price for the ongoing drama of the Turkish invasion", noting that "we all need more than ever before models of selflessness, virtue and heroism".
"Bearing in mind," he said, "the debt to the heroes of Augustus, we are obliged to continue the struggle until the final vindication. We know that their sacrifice will be justified only with the end of the occupation and colonization, with the liberation and reunification of our homeland."
As the Defence Minister added, "by honouring those who fought for the freedom of Cyprus, we send a message in every direction that we continue, with faith in the just struggle for an honourable, dignified and viable solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of the UN Security Council resolutions and the principles and values of the EU".
He added that the government does not underestimate the difficulties and obstacles it faces and is fully aware of the risks, but also of its historical duty to continue the struggle "until the sun of freedom, peace and security rises on this long-suffering land".
Furthermore, he said that "history demands that we hand over to our children a united, free, democratic and prosperous Cyprus, that we hand over a homeland with political and economic stability that inspires confidence and trust in its citizens for today and tomorrow".
"We owe this debt to the heroes of Avgoros whom we commemorate today, but also to all the heroes who gave their lives in the national struggles of our homeland," he added.
During his commemorative speech, the Minister of Defence made a brief review of the struggle and sacrifice of the heroes of Avgoros for the homeland, saying that "the heroes we honour today are children of Avgoros, who walked in the footsteps of the historical tradition of the struggles of the Greek nation and with faith in their homeland and love for freedom climbed the steps of immortality, offering their lives and writing golden pages of bravery and heroism.
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