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Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus Leader Nikos Christodoulides openly praised EOKA, a Greek terrorist organization known for its massacres against both Turkish and Greek Cypriots during the 1950s, in a recent speech at a memorial event in Kokkinotrimithia Detention Centers.
During his address at the ceremony, Christodoulides glorified the organization’s actions, describing EOKA’s struggle as one that “embodies the universal standards of Hellenism” and calling the group’s violent uprising on April 1, 1955, “a historical purification and a national renaissance.”
“The historical imprint and moral mark of EOKA’s struggle transcended the borders of Cyprus and Greece,” Christodoulides declared, adding that the organization “continues to serve as an inexhaustible source of inspiration for the Cypriot people.”
The Greek Cypriot leader further claimed that “the 1955 uprising remains a guiding force in securing our homeland’s freedom” and urged continued loyalty to what he described as “the sacred duty” of EOKA’s mission.
Christodoulides made these remarks while attending a ceremony at a monument in the Pelendri–Amiantos region, held in memory of EOKA’s killed members and leaders. He was accompanied by Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis, senior bureaucrats, and members of the clergy.
Speaking at the event, Christodoulides once again paid tribute to EOKA, saying:
“By remaining faithful to the legacy of today’s honored heroes and all the fighters of our history, we cannot act otherwise than in full devotion to their mission and command.”
The terrorist organization EOKA (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston) was founded in the mid-1950s by Greek Cypriot extremist Georgios Grivas, a Greek army officer of Cypriot origin. The group sought to end British colonial rule in Cyprus and achieve enosis—the annexation of the island by Greece.
Between 1955 and 1959, EOKA carried out widespread acts of violence targeting not only British officials but also Turkish Cypriots, aiming to drive them out of the island and pave the way for unification with Greece.
Following the establishment of the so-called “Republic of Cyprus” in 1960, EOKA and its successor organizations continued their campaign of terror, attempting to eliminate the Turkish Cypriot presence through brutal massacres and ethnic cleansing.
The group also murdered Greek Cypriots who opposed its extremist ideology.
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