Press Releases

Dear Mayor,

Excellencies,

Distinguished guests,

It is with great pleasure to be here today, an event which draws to a close the celebrations held for the momentous 20th anniversary of our country’s accession to the European Union. Initially, I would like to thank the Director, Ms Aliki Stylianou, and the personnel of the Press and Information Office of the Republic of Cyprus for this event, as well as for their valuable contribution to all the events that have been organised so far. I would also like to thank Mayor Constantinos Yiorkadjis for providing all necessary assistance for today’s event.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As I have repeatedly stated, our accession in 2004 to the European family is the greatest success of the Republic of Cyprus, the most decisive development for our country since its establishment in 1960. It was the crowning achievement of a perennial strategic pursuit, a process in which all governments have made strenuous and persistent efforts, always with the valuable assistance, cooperation and substantial support of the Hellenic Republic.

This is, moreover, evident from this photographic exhibition, which captures the highlights of this long process, such as the signing of the Association Agreement between the Republic of Cyprus and the former European Economic Community in 1972, the signing of the Protocol for the Customs Union in 1987, the application for membership in 1990, the Corfu European Council in 1994 where it was decided to include Cyprus in the next phase of the Union’s enlargement, the opening of the official accession negotiations in 1998 and their formal conclusion at the Copenhagen European Council in 2002, the signing of the Accession Treaty in Athens in 2003, as well as the celebrations on the historic day of 1 May 2004, in Cyprus.        

Dear friends,

Today, we honour all those who envisioned, have worked hard and still are so that we and our children can enjoy the numerous benefits as well as economic and social growth which accompany our country’s accession to the European Union. The four freedoms, being the access to the EU’s Single Market, the protection of the environment and democracy, the plethora of choices given to young Cypriots today as to where to study, work and live, are just a few examples of the positive transformation achieved by the accession and by being a member state of the European Union.    

At the same time, in retrospect as well as in relation to the challenges we have faced with our partners, such as the economic crisis of the past decade and the pandemic, but also in relation to the ongoing challenges we face, such as the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, migration and many more, we auspiciously and confidently look to the future. As members states, only if we are together, united in our diversity, sharing our common principles and values, we can survive and furthermore, also play a leading role in the current international context of intense geopolitical competition, instability and multiple challenges. Therefore, strength in unity is our beacon as well as our legacy which will determine our decisions.     

Dear friends,

Sadly, this year also marks the grim milestone of 50 years of continuing Turkish occupation of 36 per cent of our homeland’s territory.

The Cyprus problem is first and foremost a European one and we look to the European Union for its settlement, utilising all its political and economic means and tools, in the framework of the Euro-Turkey relations. We claim nothing less and nothing more than what the citizens of the other member states of the Union enjoy; the right of all Cypriot legal citizens – Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins – to be able to fully enjoy their rights as European citizens in a reunified homeland.

I conclude by saying that we celebrate and honour the 20thanniversary of our accession with feelings of pride and optimism but also with the sense of duty and responsibility towards our young people, who are the future of our country and Europe. For a European Union to be even stronger, more resilient, more competitive. 

Thank you.

(AP/GS)