The opening of the 14th Ordinary Congress of the New Democracy was announced by the President of the Organizing Committee in Greece, Vangelis Meimarakis.
Before the proceedings of the Congress a minute's silence was observed "for the unexpected loss of a historic member of the party, Marietta Giannakou."
Then the Rules of Procedure of the 14th Ordinary Congress were read and approved, and immediately afterwards the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, took the podium.
He thanked for the invitation to address "the congress of the largest progressive party of the country, the party that is identified with the consolidation of democracy and the prosperity of Greece".
He stressed that he would be remiss if, before any other reference, he did not express the thanks of the Cypriot people and of himself personally for the excellent cooperation and the unreserved support for Cyprus' Hellenism.
"The most important of all is not only intergovernmental cooperation, not only cooperation at the highest level. What is most important is the brotherly love between the Greeks of Greece, metropolitan Hellenism and the Hellenism of Cyprus.
It is the solidarity but also the pain and sensitivity that each of the two Greek elements show in the trials of one or the other and I can only pay tribute to the Greek brothers who gave their blood defending the integrity of the Republic of Cyprus.
It is the solidarity but also the pain and sensitivity that each of the two Greek elements show in the trials of one or the other and I can only pay tribute to the Greek brothers who gave their blood defending the integrity of the Republic of Cyprus. We are united by blood ties, beyond historical ties."
"Through the close cooperation of the two governments, we are trying and striving for a more people-centred Europe, for a strategically united Europe, for a Europe whose main object or subject will be the European citizen. A Europe that will care for everyone, that will defend the welfare state and the rule of law," he added.
He also said that through close cooperation Greece and Cyprus are pillars of stability and strategic partners not only in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region but also in the Arabian Gulf and beyond. He made special reference to the trilateral cooperation which, he said, began during the days of Antonis Samaras and was consolidated and became of strategic importance during the days of Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
"By working together we have managed to consolidate the feeling that our countries want and love peace. They do not seek to exclude anyone. And through cooperation, what we seek is to see that international law is applied, which is why we are not indifferent to what is happening in Ukraine. That is why we stand in solidarity and united with Europe's decisions." The invasion of Ukraine, the violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity has inflicted wounds on the Greeks of Cyprus because they have brought to our memory the same arguments, the same pretexts, the same atrocities that the Turks committed against the people of Cyprus.
He stressed that "we stand in solidarity with the decisions of the EU but we also defend our national interests, we do not accept two measures and two weights, we do not accept the tolerance of the neutral and the pretentious."
He stressed that "we stand in solidarity with the decisions of the EU and we defend our national interests, we do not accept two measures and two weights, we do not accept the tolerance of the pretentious neutral".
He concluded by saying that he wants to convey a message for the defence of national issues: "we follow the philosophy of patriotic realism without at the same time disregarding with pride that our history dictates an honourable solution, honourable peace but not retreat, not enslavement, not subjugation to any unjust claims."
Source: APE-MPA
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