21^st April 1967 is a black day in modern Greek history. The coup d’état of 21^st April 1967, which imposed a brutal seven-year dictatorship in the country that gave birth to democracy, was the beginning of great tribulations for the Greek people and led Cyprus to disaster in the summer of 1974.

The Greek junta, acting as a puppet of its NATO bosses, organized and executed – together with EOKA B – the fascist coup d’état of 15th July 1974. Thus the ideal pretext was given to Turkey to invade Cyprus. The role of the junta in the double crime committed against Cyprus is proved in the Finding on the File of Cyprus commissioned by the House of Representatives. NATO’s guidance to the Athens junta, the Ankara militarists and EOKA B is a historical fact that has been recorded.

The fall of the junta in Athens unfortunately occurred at the price of the destruction of Cyprus. The open wounds caused by the coup d’état of 21th April will only heal definitively when Cyprus is liberated from the Turkish occupation and reunified.

The anniversary of the 21^st April coup d’état is a reminder of the duty to fight against fascism and nationalism-chauvinism.

AKEL condemns yet again the junta coup d’état and fascism and pays tribute to all those who resisted the junta, both in Greece and Cyprus.