Acting President of the House of Representatives Nicos Anastasiades expressed the appreciation, support and solidarity of the House towards the Pancyprian Organisation of Undeclared Prisoners and Missing Persons “for its work and struggle,“ adding that it will continue to stand by the Organisation “until the fate of each and every missing person is determined.“

Speaking before the House Plenary, on the occasion of Missing Persons Day, Anastasiades said the House in April 2010 unanimously established October 29 as Missing Persons Day, after a suggestion submitted by the Organisation.

“The struggle to determine the fate of the missing persons and undeclared prisoners of the Cypriot tragedy actually began on October 29, 1974, the day after the last prisoners were set free by the Turks,“ he said.

Anastasiades noted that “the problem of missing persons constitutes the most painful aspect of the Cypriot tragedy,“ adding that since 1974 “the efforts of the Republic of Cyprus and the repeated calls from international organisations have stumbled on the intransigence of Turkey, which continues to refuse to implement the procedures for tracing the fate of the missing persons.“