The head of Humanitarian Affairs for Missing and Enclaved Persons Anna Aristotelous stressed her office’s “unwavering commitment to uncovering the truth about the missing individuals.”
Speaking at an event held at the old Nicosia town hall, she also mentioned “the ongoing struggle to challenge Turkish intransigence and procure evidence from Turkey regarding the missing people’s fate.”
Aristotelous also praised her office’s “shift in approach, now more cooperative and accessible.”
“This alteration has resulted in a notable increase in information flow, with meticulous documentation of every piece of data under investigation,” she said, adding the recent elimination of procedural obstacles yielded over six identifications in just one month.
The event saw the unveiling of a Christmas tree, which Aristotelous said it represents “the heroes and victims of the 1974 Turkish atrocities, the brave soldiers defending homeland integrity, parents safeguarding their families, and elderly individuals refusing displacement from their towns and villages.”
“Our mission is clear, we relentlessly pursue information about our missing persons, confront Turkish intransigence for evidence, and persist in this fight until we attain justice,” Aristotelous said.
Nicos Sergides, president of the Pancyprian Organisation of the Relatives of Undeclared Prisoners and Missing Persons, stressed the obligation to persist in efforts until every missing person’s fate is revealed.
Defence Minister Michalis Giorgallas and Nicosia Mayor Constantinos Yiorkadjis also attended the event.
