The repatriation of the bones of Lieutenant Colonel Stylianos Kalbourtzis on July 22, 2021 with all due respect was decided during a meeting of the Cypriot Presidency Commissioner Fotis Fotiou with the Chairman of the Panhellenic Committee of Parents and Relatives of Missing & Undeclared Prisoners.
An official statement said that during the meeting, the situation prevailing in the efforts to resolve the tragedy of the missing was discussed in detail.
Both the Commissioner of the Cypriot Presidency and the Chairmen of the Missing Persons Committees stressed the unacceptable fact that after so many decades, about 800 cases of Cypriot and Greek missing persons are pending, according to the announcement.
During the meeting, the need for immediate measures and initiatives to address the problems and challenges was stressed and they noted that it is an undeniable fact that time is the biggest enemy in this great humanitarian problem.
Both the Commissioner and the Chairmen of the Committees agreed that action to resolve the problem should be immediate and effective, reaffirming that they are working to the best of their ability.
It is added that further actions will be decided in consultation with other stakeholders in Cyprus and Greece as well as with organized groups of families.
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Who was Lieutenant Colonel Kalmourtzis Stylianos
Lieutenant Colonel Kalmourtzis Stylianos was born in Thessaloniki on January 31, 1921 to parents from Eastern Thrace.
On October 17, 1945, at the age of 24, he enlisted in the Greek Armed Forces for three years of voluntary service.
On the 1st of January 1947 he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and on the 28th of August 1947 he was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant and was awarded the War Medal of Bravery.
On March 1, 1949 he was admitted to the Military Academy, from which he graduated on August 17, 1950 and enlisted in the infantry.
In August 1973 he was transferred to Cyprus and took over as Commander of the 181st Artillery Squadron which was based in the village of Trikomo in the province of Famagusta.
His fate has been unknown since July 23, 1974 during the Turkish invasion, when his unit was ambushed by a Turkish Army unit in the area of the village of Syghari in the province of Kyrenia.
During the battle, Lieutenant Colonel Kalbourtzis showed bravery, heroism and self-sacrifice according to the legacy of his Greek ancestors.
