The Government's decision, as well as women, upon completing their studies at Lyceums and Technical Schools, have the possibility of voluntary enlistment in the National Guard, with a minimum term of six months and a maximum of 14 months, announced last night the President of of Democracy Mr. Nikos Christodoulidis, noting that this matter will be brought before the Council of Ministers in a few days.
In his greeting at the anniversary event, themed "60 years of the National Guard" held tonight at the Municipal Theater of Nicosia, the President of the Republic said that the National Guard "was established in 1964, with the aim of preventing the Turkish plans to divide our homeland.
A National Guard that in these 60 years of progress has been strengthened to a very significant extent, has developed to levels, which I am sure no one could have imagined in 1964 when the decision to establish it had been made.
A National Guard of which, as the President of the Republic, but primarily as a citizen of the country, I feel proud. We are proud of the National Guard, because as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, there were not a few times during my visits abroad, especially to all the neighboring states, that I heard from my interlocutors praises for the bravery of the National Guard officers.
And you know very well the capability of the respective National Guards of the neighboring states and for them to feel the need to refer to the fighting worth of the National Guard officers and its capabilities in general, it is rightfully something we are proud of.
The National Guard of 1964 has nothing to do with the National Guard of 2024. Today the National Guard, under the leadership of the Chief, who is doing an excellent job and I want to mention it publicly, is not limited to its purely military duties. In addition to the social work that the National Guard carries out today, it is a protagonist in the fight against illegal immigration, in the fight against terrorism, in firefighting, in search and rescue exercises and in everything that has been requested by the Cypriot state. And for this reason, the deterrent power of the Republic of Cyprus is strengthened every day, not only because we have an obligation to do so while the illegal Turkish occupation continues, but because the Republic of Cyprus is a proud member state of the EU, in an area of particular geostrategic importance - we all see what is happening in our region every day - and, with our National Guard as a pillar and the strengthening of its deterrent power, we will continue to work to upgrade the status of the Republic of Cyprus, which is the most important thing we have since 1960.
For our own governance, the strengthening of the deterrent power of the Republic of Cyprus begins with the officers of the National Guard. And it is for this reason that very recently, one of our first decisions as local government was to upgrade the working conditions of SYOPs.
It is within this framework, that very soon – I want to announce it tonight – from 2025, with a decision of the Council of Ministers in a few days, and I hope – I am addressing the members of the Parliamentary Defense Committee – that it will pass quickly, and from the defense side, and the girls will have the possibility of voluntary enlistment in the National Guard, like the boys, immediately after the completion of the Lyceum and the Technical Schools they attend. They will be able to voluntarily serve in the National Guard, with a minimum term of six months and a maximum of 14 months, like their male classmates at 14 months.
I close by repeating what I really feel and what I have really experienced through my discussions with officials of the neighboring states, saying, addressing the Chief and all officers of the National Guard, that we are proud of the work you are doing."