President Nicos Anastasiades has dismissed rumours of a new levy on deposits in Co-operative banks and called for unity and concerted effort for economic recovery.

In statements to the press here today, Anastasiades said rumours were spread on Friday by people who act irresponsibly.

“National interest dictates that we, united, have to fight for the reunification of Cyprus and rekindle our efforts for economic recovery,” the President said on Saturday addressing a workshop organized by the Cultural Centre Archbishop Makarios III, titled “Makarios as the political leader of EOKA liberation struggle 1955-1959”.

He noted that Cypriot Hellenism is being tried by the continuing Turkish occupation and by the financial crisis but expressed unwavering faith in better days.

“We shall endure, we shall not be brought to our knees. We shall stand firm and we will not despair,” the President stressed.

“Makarios, the political leader of the liberation struggle and the first President of the Republic, returns today as a symbol of resistance and struggle for the national and physical survival of Cypriot Hellenism”, President Anastasiades noted.

In his address, Archbishop Chrysostomos II said that throughout his lifetime Makarios fought to free his country and called on everyone to continue Makarios’ struggle and commit to his legacy.

Cyprus remains divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated UN rounds of talks to reunite the country have failed, due to Turkish intransigence and Ankara’s positions for a two-state solution in Cyprus.

Excluded from international markets, Cyprus applied in June 2012 for financial assistance, after its two largest banks sought state aid, following massive write downs of their Greek bond holdings amounting to €4.5 billion or 25% of the island`s GDP, as a result of the Greek sovereign debt haircut.

The government concluded a deal with the Troika of international lenders, which needs to be ratified by national parliaments and the Eurogroup.

The Eurogroup reached an agreement with the Cypriot authorities on the key elements necessary for the macroeconomic adjustment programme.

The island’s second largest bank, Laiki, splits into a “good” and a “bad” bank. The bank`s “good” assets are being transferred to the Bank of Cyprus, where a massive haircut is being imposed on uninsured deposits of more than 100,000 euros.