The President of the Republic Mr.Nicos Anastasiades received today, at the Presidential Palace, the President of the European Committee of the Regions Mr. Mr. Apostolos Tzitzikostas, who was accompanied by the President of the European Union of Municipalities, Mayor of Larnaca Mr. Andreas Vyra and the head of the Cypriot delegation to the European Committee of the Regions Mrs. Eleni Loukaidou. Tzitzikostas said, among other things, that President Anastasiades is "a good friend but above all an international leader who has really contributed substantially to change Cyprus, to reform it, to upgrade it and to make known to the world the Cyprus issue, which is a national and European issue".
He added that after 48 years "there cannot be a European region under occupation and this is an issue that Europe must and will be called upon to address very soon, indeed now that we see that by leaving authoritarian leaders unchecked things can get out of hand and lead to global crises.
What is important today, which I have underlined as President of the European Committee of the Regions in my capacity here today, is to have the support of the Republic of Cyprus in our efforts to enhance the role of regions and municipalities throughout Europe.
I am particularly pleased that the Government of Cyprus, together with the support of the Parliament and the Local Government of Cyprus, has proceeded to change the law on self-government, creating stronger municipalities, increasing and strengthening decentralisation and enabling citizens to have a more active voice and role in decision making."
He added that the European Committee of the Regions sends a clear message that the Committee stands by Cyprus, not only in the effort to reform, to strengthen the municipalities, but also on the Cyprus problem "and we will stand by you until this historic problem that exists and is plaguing not only Cyprus and Hellenism, but the whole of Europe, the whole of the West, comes to an end".
Finally, he said that he assured the President of the Republic that he would always "stand by the just demands of our Cypriot brothers and sisters until we achieve the obvious. A just and viable solution for our Cyprus, and we will fight this battle together and we will win it."
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