The Minister of Transport, Giannis Karousos, represented the Government today at the national memorial of the heroes of the community of Achna, who fell between 1955-59 and 1967-1974 at the Church of Agia Marina and Archangel Michael, in Dasaki, Achna.
In a post, the Minister of Transport stated:
"Overwhelmed with feelings of reverence and national pride, we came here today to pay the due tribute and to express our gratitude and admiration for the simple actions of the heroes of the community of Achna. With their Herculean deeds, the heroes of Achna, who with self-sacrifice and self-sacrifice fought for the defense of our homeland, in the periods 1955-1959 and 1967-1974, passed from the world to the Pantheon of Heroes ".
This is the commemorative speech of the Minister of Transport:
Overwhelmed with feelings of reverence and national pride, we came here today to pay the due tribute and to express our gratitude and admiration for the simple deeds of the heroes of the community of Achna. With their Herculean deeds, the heroes of Achna, who with self-sacrifice and self-sacrifice fought for the defense of our homeland, in the periods 1955-1959 and 1967-1974, passed from the worldly to the Pantheon of Heroes.
With our presence here we declare that we will continue to learn and draw courage from the selfless actions of the defenders of the freedom of our homeland, the heroes of Achna, who raised their chests and fell fighting for faith and homeland. The only choice we have is to embrace the generous love and devotion to the homeland of these pure patriots, whose memory we honor today.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The gaze of the hero of the national liberation struggle of EOKA Yasoumi Chatzitheodosiou, the gazes of Theodosi Pitsillidis, Panagiotis Konstantinou, Georgios Ioakeim, Georgios Andreou, Kyriakos Nikolettis, Christoforos Ttofaros and Liambaros their duty towards the Turkish conqueror, as well as the eyes of the missing Adoulis Senecki, Giannaki Kokkinou, George Georgiou, Nikola Liggi, Andrea Pavlou and Theodosi Giannaki and your three fellow villagers Efstathiou and Ioannis Theou during the Turkish invasion, they stare at the occupied Achna. These gazes, the gazes of your heroes, guide our gazes to the martyred village of Achna.
Given the number of fallen and missing in relation to the wider population of the village, it would not be an exaggeration to call Achna the village of heroes.
Cleobulus of Rhodes, one of the seven sages of Ancient Greece, stated in the 6th century BC. "He cares what is missing", that is, "to think of something valuable, something worthwhile". The loss of so many young men is a great blow to your community. But what could be more valuable than the glorious sacrifice of your fellow villagers? Undoubtedly, the thoughts of all of us turn to the heroic deeds of the Achniotes.
Debt sacred brought us here today, to commemorate and honor the heroes of Achna. Very little can be said about the honorees, however I consider it an honor and an obligation to mention each one briefly.
Giasoumis X''Theodosiou: was born in Achna in 1940 and came from an agricultural family consisting of nine children. Giasoumis was the youngest member of the family and from a young age he began to show his patriotic feelings and his faith in the vision of the Union of Cyprus with Greece. He was nurtured with the ideals of faith in the homeland, family and religion. He attended the Commercial High School of Famagusta where he took part in all national events. He was initiated in the ranks of EOKA following all the levels of the Organization. His action coincided with the clashes with Turks in villages of his area, in the summer of 1958. On August 2, 1958, near the village of Pergamos, he placed mines with other EOKA fighters with the ultimate goal of protecting Greek property from the cowardly Anglo-Turkish patrols which beat isolated and unarmed Greek Cypriot shepherds and farmers. One of these mines exploded, leading the fearless young man to death.
Theodosis Pitsillidis: He died on duty during the general mobilization of 1967. From a large family with 12 children. He was a farmer. He sacrificed his life for the homeland he loved. He watered with his blood the land that he himself cultivated with his sweat.
Panagiotis Konstantinou: Peaceful and with an excellent character, a young man who fell in favor of altars and hearths during the bombing by the Turks of the Artillery camp of Nicosia in which he served.
George Joachim: He also fell fighting against the Turkish conqueror. George, a member of a poor family, was an excellent character and a model student. He came from a poor family and was nurtured by Greek Christian ideals. It is noteworthy that his father also died after a severe beating by the English and the Turks during the period 1955-1959.
Georgios Giorkatzis: Also from a large and poor family, married with five children, who fell heroically fighting in the village of Kouklia against the Turkish invader.
Kyriakos Nicoletti: He fell on the 16th of August in the battles of Agios Pavlos in Nicosia. He was a reserve soldier and the father of two children. He came from Lysis and was 30 years old. Since then his family lives in Dasaki of Achna.
Christoforos Ttofa: He was a reserve commander and served in the 336th Battalion. He took part in the battles of Agios Pavlos in Nicosia where he was arrested by the Turkish invaders. Since then, the hero was considered missing for many years, until his bones were found and identified, to be buried with due honors. Christoforos was married and his wife was pregnant when he disappeared. He came from Lysis and was 27 years old. His family lives in Dasaki of Achna.
Kyriakos Panai Kkolou: He was born on October 29, 1956. He enlisted in the National Guard in January 1974. He served in the 181st Lowland Artillery Squadron with the rank of Dean and fell on altars and hearths on July 23, 1974 during the heroic battle in the village of Syghari.
Lambros Vardaki Dimitriou: He was born in 1950 in Achna and attended the Greek High School of Famagusta. He enlisted in the National Guard and served in the 32nd Squadron. He took part in many battles during the Turkish invasion and was killed by the Turks at the age of 24.
Adonis Christoforou: 19 years old from Achna, sergeant of the 399th Infantry Battalion. It was last seen north of the village of Syghari. His bones were found in the area and identified several years later. The name of Adonis was deleted from the long list of the missing and was written in golden letters in the list of the heroic dead.
In addition, the following invaders were killed by the Turkish invaders in the Pantheon of Heroes:
Efstathios and Ioannis Theodorou: Father and son 36 and 15 years old respectively. They were killed by the Turkish invaders in the village of Kalopsida on August 23, 1974. Efstathios left behind a wife and children.
Androula Savva: Killed by the Turkish invaders in 1974 between the villages of Achna and Kalopsida.
The community of Achna is still eagerly awaiting the fate of 6 other missing persons. Adoulli Seneki, Giannaki Kokkinou, Georgiou Moustaki, Nikola Liggi (Nikolou), Andrea Pavlou and Theodosi Giannaki whose fate is unknown after the tragic events of the Turkish invasion.
Compatriots,
Achna, despite the hardships, not only did not bend but managed to stand up and be reborn. We must not look inferior. Our debt to the dead and to our missing is heavy.
Our duty to the semi-occupied homeland and to future generations is imperative. Preserving the memory of the heroes of our homeland is imperative as never before. Our homeland is still divided and is called daily to face the expansive bulimia of the Turkish conqueror.
The aim of the President of the Republic and the Government is to reach a solution through the decisions and the framework of the UN for a Bi-zonal Bi-Communal Federation based on international law and the principles and values of the European Union. A solution that will lead to the creation of a truly independent and sovereign state free from guarantee and invasive rights as well as free from the presence of occupying troops. The President of the Republic does not intend to consent, for the sake of the solution, to the creation of a dysfunctional formation, with foreseeable consequences for Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. Our country is going through difficult times. Every day, unfortunately, we are witnessing Turkey's efforts to create new accomplishments. Turkey's illegal actions on the land and sea area in which the Republic of Cyprus exercises sovereign rights under international law must be stopped.
Having as our weapons international law and international alliances we defend our homeland. Achieving a just solution to our national problem is inevitable. This is the responsibility and the promise that the President of the Republic and the Government gives to all the citizens of our country. The reunification of our homeland is the responsibility and the promise we give to the heroes of the community of Achna who fought for the independence and freedom of our homeland. This is our historical responsibility towards the coming generations of the Greeks of Cyprus. We must all work with solidarity, with the expectation that better days will dawn for our country. This will be the best memorial for those who sacrificed for her freedom.
May the memory of the heroes of the community of Achna be eternal. May the memory of all the heroes of our long-suffering homeland be eternal.