The highest honor given to the history of the Republic of Cyprus, was given last Friday night by the state to Lieutenant General Tassos Markou.
From the counted times that the state stands up to the circumstances.
The Council of Ministers, by its decision, attributed to one of the greatest heroic figures of the place, the appropriate price. The Military Medal BRIGADE OF EXCELLENCE ANDREAS "for his heroic deeds on the battlefield for the defense of freedom and the territorial integrity of the Republic".
The medal was awarded to his family Tasos Markou and specifically in son of Paris, the President of the Republic, Nikos Anastasiadis, during the unveiling of a monument for the EOKA fighters in Paralimni.
Recognizing greatness
In his speech, the President of the Republic praised the struggles of the hero, emphasizing that "modern history has ranked him among the great". Evidently moved, Nikos Anastasiadis said that "it is a real moment of pride for me, the act of honor that the state on my behalf, pays today to the hero, our missing lieutenant general, Tassos Markou".
Pointing out that this is the first time in the history of the Republic of Cyprus that this highest honor is given to a citizen, the President stressed that "Tasos, who became a legend, deserves it more than anyone else".
"The actions and services of Tassos Markos to defend the freedom of our homeland," he said, "went far beyond the simple performance of duty."
Prices, debt and… postscript
The state, therefore, did the least due to a man - a symbol, who selflessly defended freedom whenever he received the invitation of the homeland.
His action starred in the liberation struggle of EOKA in '55 - '59 and during the Turkish invasion in '63, while in the Turkish invasion wrote golden pages defending the homeland and the lost dignity of the Cypriot Hellenism.
However, it is a fact that whatever one writes or says about Lieutenant General Tassos Markou is a little. Expected. As thoughts, words fail to convey the greatness of legends.
The course of the immortals remains an unpaid debt. Debt of the living to an emblematic figure who with deeds - not words - defended the supreme goods of freedom and dignity. Words lose their weight in the face of acts of heroism.
Radiographing his varied life, it is clear that Tassos Markou would not be indifferent to glory today.
The brave refuse to be confined to the limits of fame. In any case, according to the Aristotelian, you never find their heroes in the dark. It's because their course fills space-time with light and the bet or rather the heavy debt is to grab some of their shine.
"A man shines even if you saw, you saw…" This pride caused by the shine of the emblems, we must not deprive it of today, but also of tomorrow, which is our children.
Memory, then. Memory. This is the highest honor for the heroes.
Source: SigmaLive / Silver Stone