President Anastasiades has said that the Greek Cypriot National Guard is a necessity for Cyprus and will continue to upgrade itself, to meet obligations deriving from the country’s EU membership and the discovery of hydrocarbons offshore, CNA reports.
Anastasiades was inaugurating an exhibition of historic objects and documents belonging to the National Guard, in Nicosia, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary since the establishment of the armed forces.
The Greek Cypriot leader noted that Turkey’s military presence in the northern part of Cyprus and the continuous violation of the Republic’s sovereignty deem the continuation of the National Guard necessary, along its constant modernisation.
Moreover, he said that the armed forces remain committed to the basic principles of liberty, democracy and national sovereignty, amid geopolitical developments in the vicinity of Cyprus.
Anastasiades thanked those who had organised the event, noting that it is an account of the 50-year struggle of Greek Cypriots and a modest commemoration of those who sacrificed their lives for their country.
