Commissioner for the Presidency and officially Fotiou

The appointment ceremony of the new Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Overseas Affairs, Fotis Fotiou, took place on Tuesday at the Presidential Palace, with the President of the Republic, Nikos Anastasiadis, emphasizing the important issues that the new Commissioner has to manage.

In his speech, President Anastasiadis said that the duties of the Commissioner are very important and sensitive. You, as he said addressing Mr. Fotiou, take the responsibility of managing the issues concerning the Missing, the Trapped and the Victims of the Turkish invasion.

"Responsibility that has the highest national and humanitarian significance. A mission that concerns the most shocking aspects - the fruits of the Turkish invasion. The Government attaches special importance and with more care and interest does what is possible to promote and resolve them ", he added.

The President of the Republic assigned to Mr. Fotiou, in addition to the others, the tasks of managing the issues that concern our expatriate compatriots. "The State has always surrounded our Expatriates with special affection. This will continue while at the same time our aim is to further strengthen the relations between the State and abroad. "We attach special importance to the role they have played and are playing in their countries of residence," he said.

The President stressed that today, with the clear choice in the direction of Cyprus' foreign relations, the role of expatriates acquires special importance. "The mobilization of our expatriates, in the difficult effort of Cyprus to create strategic alliances for the benefit of our national cause is necessary, as is the two-way confrontation and solution of the problems they face", he noted, saying, at the same time that for these For this reason, the mission of the Commissioner for the Presidency is becoming even more important.

President Anastasiadis expressed his gratitude but also the appreciation he and the Government have for the outgoing Commissioner, Kati Clerides, who undoubtedly put her stamp on the issues she managed, as she stated.

Addressing Fotis Fotiou again, the President expressed the belief that he will meet the challenges of his new duties to the fullest. "The services you have offered to the State in the past, mainly during your tenure as Minister, both during my presidency and that of the late Tassos Papadopoulos are guarantees for your success in your new duties as well," he concluded.

In his rebuttal, Mr. Fotiou, after thanking President Anastasiadis for the appointment, assured that he would make every effort to meet the expectations of the President. "I know very well that this position, in addition to a special honor, includes special responsibilities as well as a number of challenges, which relate to sensitive humanitarian issues, such as those of our missing. "Determining the fate of the missing must be everyone's primary goal," he said, stressing President Anastasiadis' efforts to increase pressure on Turkey to work directly to speed up the exhumation process, while finding financial resources to quickly identify the missing. .

Mr. Fotiou further stated that no one ignores the issues that concern the prisoners, who despite the passage of time continue to experience the catastrophic consequences of the Turkish invasion and occupation.

Equally important, he added, are the issues concerning expatriates as everyone recognizes the important work they do abroad, and at the same time, the struggles and efforts they make, as the best ambassadors, in our national cause are well known, highlighting the as a problem of invasion and occupation. "For these reasons, as the Republic of Cyprus, we owe and must be by their side to strengthen these efforts for the good of our country," he said.

Mr. Fotiou further stated that today that Cyprus is being upgraded geostrategically and geopolitically due to the localization of hydrocarbons and the rapid developments in the region, it is the right time to make the most of another component of foreign policy. "Our expatriates can best highlight the now important international, stabilizing role that our country is called upon to play in the region," he said.

As he noted, this new role and the advantages it offers can benefit from the multidimensional exploitation to strengthen our efforts to achieve a fair and functional solution to the Cyprus problem, as well as the short recovery of the country from the economic crisis, and the contribution of our expatriates. in this endeavor is crucial.

He then referred to our compatriots of various religious groups, Armenians, Maronites and Latins, most of whom, as he said, experience the same daily problems as the Cypriot Hellenism.

"My intention is to cooperate with all the Ministries, Services, parties and agencies involved, so that the goals that have been set are achieved as much as possible. "Humanitarian problems must be tackled by the state as a whole without ignoring the very important role that civil society can play," he said.

He went on to say that we must open channels of continuous communication with all stakeholders, regardless of party beliefs. "Besides, these issues do not have a party color and as such I am going to deal with them," he said.

Mr. Fotiou said, finally, that the effort for the reunification of Cyprus goes through collectiveness, solidarity and joint effort. This is the strongest negotiating paper on our side and we must not dismiss it. To put above all the interest of the place, to join forces and to seek the recovery and the liberation of our homeland ", he concluded.