Bishop presides over annual memorial
Bishop of Amathus Nikolaos led the 52nd annual national memorial for EOKA leader General George Grivas Digenis on Sunday morning at the Church of Saint Nicholas in Limassol. Police maintained a strong presence to prevent potential incidents during the ceremony.
Presidential Commissioner Marios Chartsiotis represented the government. House President and DISY leader Annita Demetriou, ELAM President Christos Christou, MPs, local officials, and citizens attended the event.
Ceremony and wreath-laying
After the memorial service, participants marched to the EOKA Headquarters and Grivas Digenis’ tomb. Officials, party representatives, and organisations laid wreaths and performed a memorial prayer at his statue. Retired Brigadier General Konstantinos Argyropoulos, who served as a First Line Lieutenant during the 1974 invasion, praised Grivas’ contributions in his speech.
Heightened security measures
Police deployed over 200 officers, including the riot control unit “Aiantas”, and cordoned off a large area to ensure safety. Two police vans monitored the site. Police allowed access to the EOKA Headquarters and Grivas’ tomb only for organised supporters, while other attendees observed from the street.
A statement by Stavros Stavrou, EOKA Representative and current Secretary-General of the Fighters’ Association of Limassol City and District, sparked reactions from members of ELAM, who interrupted him during his speech.
Specifically, Stavrou was referring to the pivotal role of the Speaker of the House and DISY member Annita Demetriou in efforts to prevent commercial development on the site of Grivas’ tomb. His comments prompted reactions from a group of ELAM members.
As a result, Stavrou paused his speech, and the tension gradually eased under the watchful eyes of police officers present at the scene.
Political responses
On the programme Protoselido, Annita Demetriou responded to criticism that DISY exploits EOKA commemorations for political gain: “Yesterday I attended the memorial for General George Grivas Digenis, the EOKA leader. DISY was founded by the fighters themselves. We honour the EOKA struggle and Grivas.”
Regarding ELAM’s remarks that DISY only recently acknowledged Grivas, she added: “ELAM didn’t exist when DISY attended these memorials.” Demetriou stressed that patriotism is about achieving results, not shouting, and argued that all political forces attending should strengthen unity rather than division.
Concerns over political polarisation
Demetriou criticised the high levels of political polarisation and toxic discourse in Cyprus. She warned that constant accusations on social media discourage citizen engagement, especially among women and young people. “We must focus on constructive policies that serve citizens rather than spreading negativity,” she said.
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