The President of the Republic Mr. Nikos Anastasiadis received today, at the Presidential Palace, the President of the European Committee of the Regions Mr. Apostolos Tzitzikostas, who was accompanied by the President of the Union of Municipalities, Mayor of Larnaca Mr. Andreas Vyras and the Cypriot leader European Committee of the Regions Ms. Eleni Loukaidou.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr. Tzitzikostas said, among other things, that President Anastasiadis is "a good friend but above all an international leader who has really contributed substantially to changing Cyprus, to reforming, to upgrading and to make known to the ends of the world the issue of Cyprus which is a national but also a European issue ".
He added that after 48 years "there is no European territory under occupation and this issue must and will be called upon Europe to address very soon, now that we see that leaving authoritarian leaders out of control can turn things around and lead to global crises.
What is important today, which I also emphasized as President of the European Committee of the Regions, in whose capacity I am here today, is to have the support of the Republic of Cyprus in our effort to upgrade the role of regions and municipalities across Europe.
I am particularly pleased that the Government of Cyprus, together with the support of the Parliament and the Local Government of Cyprus, proceeded to change the law on self-government, creating stronger municipalities, increasing and strengthening decentralization and enabling citizens to have a more active voice and role in decision making".
He added that the European Commission of the Regions sends a clear message that the Commission stands by Cyprus, not only in the effort to reform, strengthen the municipalities, but also in the Cyprus issue "and we will be by your side until this historic problem stops. and it afflicts not only Cyprus and Hellenism, but the whole of Europe, the whole of the West. "
Finally, he stated that he assured the President of the Republic that he will always be "next to the just demands of our Cypriot brothers, until we achieve the obvious." A fair and sustainable solution for our Cyprus, and we will all fight this battle together and we will win it ".
Source: Announcements