On 24 February, Russia launched a generalised military attack on Ukraine, after having previously proceeded with the illegal unilateral recognition, as independent and sovereign, of the so-called "People's Republics" of Donetsk and Luhansk.
We are witnessing an unspeakable tragedy in the heart of Europe, with scenes of chaos, anguish and despair being broadcast minute by minute. They awakened nightmares for Europe and the world, recalling the horrors of two World Wars, but also dark pages written later in modern European history.
Cyprus remembers and does not forget. It cannot forget because the wounds of the Turkish invasion and the ongoing occupation of part of its territory, the dead, the refugees and the missing still haunt us. Because the logic of two measures and two stations does not offer good services and does not help to close these wounds. And especially when the perpetrator hypocritically and provocatively invokes international law on Ukraine, which it has been blatantly violating for 48 years in Cyprus.
Cyprus stands by the side of the hard-pressed Ukrainian people, firmly committed to international law, respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all states and the fundamental European principles and values. In this context, our country is fully aligned with the decisions of the European Union.
The House of Representatives reacted immediately, with a resolution adopted unanimously on the same day, condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine and stressing the urgent need to end the bloodshed and return to dialogue as the only possible path to a de-escalation and peaceful settlement of the crisis.
The images of the relentless shelling, the dead and the terrified women and children in the shelters haunt us. The unfolding humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, which is spreading to its neighbouring countries and throughout Europe, calls for unity, solidarity and collective action for the immediate relief of the Ukrainian people.
I call upon you to observe a one-minute silence in memory of the victims of the war in Ukraine.
(One-minute silence)
Ladies and gentlemen,
"Freedom needs virtue and courage", says Andreas Kalvos in his poem "To Samon". It is for this virtue and courage, which he selflessly demonstrated from his hiding place sixty-five years ago, that the deputy leader of EOKA, Grigoris Afxentiou, is honoured today. Every year on 3 March we commemorate the unparalleled bravery and self-sacrifice of a fearless EOKA fighter who valiantly resisted the colonial yoke to the end. The Zidros of the Solution, the Crosshair of Machaera, at the age of only twenty-nine years became a target of fire for the ideals that burned within him, after he cried out from the bowels of the land that nurtured him "Molon Lave" to the English General Middleton, who called on him to surrender. "That 'no' was not repeated by the echo, it was too heavy to carry," wrote the Cypriot poet Kostas Montis in a poem about Gregory Afxentiou. Too heavy for us today... Inspired by the heroic sacrifice of Voxentios, Yannis Ritsos rendered the hero's last thoughts in the Farewell: "I do not accept, no, the sacrifice for death. I accept it only for life, for a life that will no longer require any sacrifice. I am ready." Four years before the sacrifice of our worthy son of Cyprus, George Seferis wrote prophetically in his poem 'Salamina of Cyprus': 'And these bodies, made of a soil they do not know, have souls. They are gathering paraphernalia to change them, they will not be able to; they will only unmake them if the souls are unmoored'. For this great soul whom the conqueror did not know, who despised death and chose the path of freedom, as true heroes do, Gregory Afxentios passed into the pantheon of the immortals, writing one of the brightest pages of the modern history of Cyprus.
Let us bow to a hero who is no longer just ours, a hero whose stature transcends local and temporal boundaries. As a minimum tribute to the memory of the hero Grigoris Afxentiou, we have a duty not to silence our ideals, but to continue to fight for them.
In memory of the hero, I call you to a minute's silence.
(One-minute silence)
Eternal memory!
Dear Councillors,
On 8 March we honour not only the mothers of heroes, but also heroic mothers, housewives, nurses, refugee women, immigrant women, businesswomen, politicians, activists, every single woman. It is a great honour, but also a responsibility, as a woman Speaker of the House of Representatives, to address those women who, while making their personal struggle every day to fulfil their multiple roles, are deprived of the obvious. They are often denied the right to speak and to be heard, to work and to have their work recognised. In some parts of the world, women are denied basic rights, even life itself, because of their gender. The fact that so much importance is attached to International Women's Day is in itself a demonstration of the problem, a day of reflection and contemplation.
The European Parliament is dedicating this year's International Women's Day to the struggle of women worldwide against coronavirus. This decision was taken partly because of the large number of women working in health care services and partly because of the proven increase in incidents of violence against women and young girls in the circumstances brought about by the pandemic.
But women should not only be remembered and honoured on 8 March each year. As a woman I can confidently tell you that what a woman really needs is respect, equal opportunities, equal treatment, equal rights, equal responsibilities. 8 March could and should simply be an occasion to take stock and review the steps taken to recognise the role and place of women in society.
Colleagues,
I do not want to focus on the fact that 8 March was established in 1910 by the International Women's Conference in Copenhagen as International Women's Day, but on what has happened since then, one hundred and twelve years later. Certainly many important steps have been taken, including the adoption by the European Union of the Roadmap for Equality between Men and Women, the White Ribbon Campaign, legislation, which I will discuss below, and more.
However, on the road to full equality in all areas of life - family, work, work, society, politics - deep-seated gender prejudices and stereotypes have taken root. Let's talk in facts. According to the World Labour Organisation, women are more affected by unemployment than men. More than half of all women in the European Union have been sexually harassed at some point in their lives. 44% of Europeans believe that the most important role of women is taking care of the home and family. Often women, in order to gain parity with the opposite sex, have to work much harder. Finally - let us not go too far - the low representation of women in the Cypriot Parliament demonstrates the absence of women from decision-making centres and leadership.
Cyprus has already proceeded to ratify Directives on equality in employment, as well as to harmonise with the provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. In addition, as the pre-eminent legislative body, the Parliament has modernised the State's legislative arsenal to combat gender-based violence, harassment, stalking and sexism. Therefore, it is imperative to accelerate efforts to implement the National Action Plan for Gender Equality, with the ultimate goal of overturning patriarchal and male-dominated social, economic and political structures and mechanisms, especially in the fields of technology and sciences. Priority should also be given to strengthening female entrepreneurship and the involvement of women in research and innovation.
Achieving gender equality requires, in addition to the elimination of legislative discrimination against women, a change of mindset and the cooperation of all the institutions of the European Union, the Member States, women's organisations, social partners and citizens. We need to strengthen our voice and not rest on any 'victories'. This is because the balances are fragile, because any democratic constitution based on inequalities and discrimination has shaky foundations.
As the first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives, but also as a woman addressing women, I have to say that we can! We have been able in the past, we will be able in the future to break down the castles of gender discrimination. Throughout time, women have proven in practice that they can manage critical and crucial issues, that they deserve every honour and recognition and that they are anything but a weak gender. I would particularly like to congratulate the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and Equal Opportunities for Men and Women, which is working tirelessly in this direction. I personally extend a warm greeting to all the women of Cyprus, the mothers, wives, sisters of our missing, fallen and victims of the Cypriot tragedy, our trapped and refugee women. I assure you that the House of Representatives will be a supporter and not a block in the struggle for the full guarantee of women's rights in all areas. I would also like to extend warm wishes to my dear fellow women councillors. I wish each and every one of them good health, personal and family happiness and good fights in the political arena!
Thank you!
(NΓ/IK)
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