21^st April 1967 is a black day in modern Greek history. The junta coup of 21^st April 1967, which imposed a brutal 7year dictatorship in the country that gave birth to democracy, was the start of great suffering for the Greek people and led Cyprus to the catastrophe in the summer of 1974.

The junta, acting as a puppet of its NATO masters, organized and executed, together with EOKA B, the fascist coup of 15^th July 1974, which gave Turkey the pretext to invade Cyprus and occupy a large part of our homeland. The conclusion of the “File of Cyprus” of the House of Representatives confirmed the coordinated conspiracy of NATO, the Athens junta, the militarists of Ankara and EOKA B in the double crime committed, namely the coup d’état and Turkish invasion, against Cyprus.

The anniversary of the junta coup d’état teaches us that democracy is a gain and valuable asset that we must always defend as a precious treasure. At the same time, it reminds us of our duty to combat fascism, nationalism-chauvinism and to guard and uphold the historical truth.

The fall of the junta in Athens unfortunately occurred after it caused the destruction of Cyprus. Our homeland continues to suffer from the brutal consequences of the coup, the invasion and occupation. The open wounds caused by the coup d’état of 21^st April will finally heal only when Cyprus is freed from the Turkish occupation and reunited in conditions of freedom, democracy and the respect of human rights.

AKEL condemns once again in the strongest possible terms the coup of the junta and fascism. We pay tribute to the democratic resistance fighters in both Greece and Cyprus, who fought against the dictatorship many of them sacrificing their most precious possession, their very lives. AKEL stresses that today there exists in Greek and Cypriot political life, forces such as the criminal “Golden Dawn” and its Cypriot branch of “ELAM”, who openly declare their nostalgia for the Junta and EOKA B, that is to say apologists of the treason and betrayal committed against Greece and Cyprus. The fact that these forces present themselves as “patriots” and “anti-systemic” is a provocation to our people, to our history.

AKEL expresses its gratitude to Greece and its people, who through time have backed Cyprus in its struggle for liberation and the reunification of our country. We stand next to the Greek people who are fighting against economic misery and at the same time delivering lessons in humanitarian assistance to the whole of Europe with their behaviour towards refugees.