Cyprus celebrates 1 October anniversary with a military parade
The military parade, part of the official celebrations of October 1, the day of the declaration of the Independence of Cyprus, was completed early on Tuesday afternoon in Nicosia, in the presence of the country’s political, religious and military leadership, the President of the Hellenic Republic, as well as Ambassadors and Defence Attaches of foreign countries.
A large crowd had gathered in the surrounding area before the official start of the parade at 11 a.m. local time, which was preceded by the firing of 21 saluting cannon shots and the flag-raising ceremony, to the sound of the National Anthem.
President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, and President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, received the salute of the parade, accompanied by the Minister of Defence, Vasilis Palmas, the Greek Deputy Minister of National Defence, Ioannis Kefalogiannis, and the Chief of the National Guard, Lieutenant General Georgios Tsitsikostas.
The parade began with an overflight by National Guard he
licopters, including a flying unit from the United Kingdom.
This was followed by the National Guard, the Police, the Fire Service, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, the Forests Department, the Civil Defence, as well as the Ambulance Service.
Also participating were wounded in the 1974 war, accompanied by Red Cross volunteers, prisoners of war and 1974 fighters.
Earlier in the morning, the President Christodoulides laid a wreath at the Imprisoned Graves in Nicosia together with the President of the Hellenic Republic. This was followed by a one-minute silence and the playing of the National Anthem.
Sakellaropoulou visited with President Christodoulides the graves of the heroes who gave their lives during the struggle for independence, the detention rooms as well as the gallows.
Present at the wreath-laying ceremony were, among others, the House of Representatives President, Government Ministers and other officials
Source: Cyprus News Agency