“Democracy was not given to the Greeks, we earned it”.
President made the above statement in his message on the occasion of 47 years since the coup of April 21.
According to Mr. Papoulias, “the fight of those who resisted the junta, some by losing their lives, others by sacrificing their freedom and health and all by giving up the safety and calmness bought by apathy and silence, is always awe-inspiring”.
As he mentions, in days like this “we remember that democracy was not given to us, we won it and it requires hard work”. Referring to the coup that took place 47 years he characterized this historical event a “traumatic national experience that cannot be forgotten or embellished with the passing of time”.
“The 7 year junta did not only lead to the Cyprus tragedy, but it also caused our country to lose valuable time going back instead of forward”, the President of the Republic concludes.