Greek President flies in for Makarios anniversary events

GREEK President Karolos Papoulias arrived in Cyprus yesterday to participate in events marking 30 years since the death of Makarios.

The Greek President was welcomed at Larnaca airport in a red carpet ceremony attended by Minister of Education and Culture Akis Kleanthous on behalf of the government.

Other officials welcomed President Papoulias at Larnaka airport VIP lounge, including National Guard Commander Lieutenant General Constantinos Bisbikas, Cypriot Ambassador to Athens Giorgos Georgis, Bishop of Kition Chrysostomos, Greek Ambassador to Nicosia Demetrios Rallis and Head of Protocol of the Cypriot Foreign Ministry Marios Ieronimides.

No statements were made after his arrival.

Yesterday evening, Papoulias was due to have a private meeting with President Tassos Papadopoulos at the Presidential Palace, before they both attend an oratorio to mark the 30 years of Makarios’ death. The event was to take place at Nicosia Municipal Theatre.

Afterwards, Papoulias was to have a private dinner with the President.
Today, the two Presidents will visit Kykkos Monastery for a church service, officiated by Bishop of Kykkos and Tiliria Nikiforos, who will then host a lunch, which will be attended by Archbishop Chrysostomos II.
Papoulias will have a meeting this afternoon with House President Demetris Christofias and former Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, both presidential candidates.

Papoulias leaves Cyprus tomorrow.

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.