Politics dominate Easter messages

PARTIES yesterday issued their messages to the nation ahead of Orthodox Easter Sunday tomorrow, invariably focusing on the Cyprus problem.

Governing Disy said Cypriot Hellenism was preparing to celebrate Easter "with the deep faith that after Golgotha comes the resurrection."

The essence of the Disy message was that Easter teaches us that though the Turks might be occupying half the island today, Cypriot Hellenism will eventually win the day.

"These days remind us intensely that the historic course of Christianity and Hellenism are inseparable. Suffering and crucifixion are always followed by the joyous message of the resurrection of the nation and Christianity," the right-wing party stated.

For main opposition party Akel, Easter was the "feast of hope."

"Our homeland has for 26 years now been walking the path of its own trials," the left-wing party stated.

"However negative things might be, we must never give up hope, and more importantly the desire and struggle, for justice for Cyprus and its people," Akel stated.

The United Democrats linked Easter not just to the Cyprus problem but to EU accession as well. "For Cyprus, Easter symbolises the hour of re-unification and freedom from occupation troops and the hope for a peaceful and happy future in the European Union," a party message read.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.