For 60 years of undivided contribution, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke at an event for the anniversary of EF – On the occasion of the completion of 60 years since the establishment of the National Guard
For six decades of undivided and commendable contribution of the National Guard to the struggle defending the freedom and territorial integrity of our country and strengthening the feeling of security, which promotes the well-being of our citizens, said the Minister of Defense Vassilis Palmasspeaking on Tuesday evening on behalf of the President of the Republic at the anniversary event organized by the Association of Retired Officers of the Cyprus Army, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the National Guard.
In his greeting, the Minister of Defense gave an extensive review of the contribution of the Greek Army to the homeland since June 1964, when the Parliament approved the bill for the establishment of the Greek Army, to the events of August 1964 and the battles of Tellyria, the Turkish invasion of 1974 , where “despite very significant hardships and shortages in equipment, materials and means, the men of the National Guard…unsupported in most cases, fought valiantly against Attila's clearly superior forces, offering their lives as a sacrifice on its altar freedom of our homeland” but also the years of reconstruction after 1974 until today.
Today, as the Minister of Defense pointed out, sixty years after the establishment of the force and with the Turkish occupation still in place, but also with the emergence of new asymmetric threats, the National Guard has assumed a multifaceted role with many challenges to meet.
“We must learn the lessons of sacrifice and continue to walk the path carved by our heroes. Drawing on the message of their sacrifice, we pay our respects to their venerable figures and state unequivocally that with the same faith and the same determination we will continue to claim the achievement of our highest national goals,” added the Minister of Defense in conclusion.
