POLITICAL party leaders yesterday appealed to the public to refrain from causing trouble at tonight’s anniversary event condemning the 1974 military coup and subsequent Turkish invasion.
The annual event, which was postponed from last week and is open to the public, will be held at the presidential palace despite the almost nightly gathering of anti-government protestors after last Monday’s catastrophic munitions’ explosion at the Evangelos Florakis naval base.
Although leaders were unanimous regarding the public’s right to freedom of expression, in order to avoid any fracas between the two sides, a number of suggestions were put forward including protestors gathering elsewhere for the night, and relocating or even cancelling the presidential palace event.
Right-wing group ELAM also announced it would stay away from the presidential palace to avoid any blame for possible skirmishes.
Speaking to reporters at lunchtime following a National Council meeting, the majority of party leaders said individuals had a right to freedom of expression but that they should do so without causing disruption.
The leaders were referring to concerns regarding possible conflicts between attendees of tonight’s annual event with angry protestors demanding President Demetris Christofias and his Cabinet’s resignation.
“There will be two camps: the pro-Christofias supporters and the anti-Christofias supporters. All it takes is two or three crazy guys from one side and two or three from the other to clash,” said one observer.
But Right-wing EVROKO leader Demetris Syllouris said the annual event was not about governing AKEL and President Christofias.
“It’s about honouring the dead of 1974… It’s held every year and should be peaceful,” he said.
DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades suggested that just for tonight protestors of the Evangelos Florakis tragedy gather at Nicosia’s Eleftheria Square instead of outside the presidential palace to avoid any kafuffle.
DISY deputy Christos Stylianides went a step further and appealed to Christofias to cancel the event altogether.
Stylianides said the event, scheduled to take place at the presidential palace, risked “creating huge problems and throwing oil on the fire”.
Speaking to reporters earlier in the day at parliament, Stylianides said: “[Cancelling] will be considered by society and the political sphere as a move of caution and to avert problems and possibly very serious incidents.”
However AKEL’s Andros Kyprianou said everyone had a right to express their sentiments regarding the events of July 15 and 20, 1974 as well as the events of July 11, 2011.
“[They just don’t have to be] in the same two places,” said Kyprianou.
House president Yiannakis Omirou said protests were allowed in a democratic country but called for self control from all involved, while DIKO leader Marios Garoyian said he believed in the maturity of the island’s political forces and the people.
“The last thing we need is conflict… The climate is heated… We must demonstrate peacefully,” said Garoyian.
Although government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou implied cancellation was not on the cards, the police press office was yesterday unable to confirm whether tonight’s anniversary event was going ahead.
Sergeant Nicoletta Tyrimou said in the eventuality that it was, the authorities had plans to bolster security.
As for Stefanou, he said: “There may be possible problems. We appeal to citizens to go to Eleftheria Square so others can come here [to the presidential palace] for the black anniversary… We must secure everyone’s right to express their opinion at gatherings and protests. Both can be done in separate places,” he said.
Meanwhile former Foreign Minister George Lillikas also joined the political bandwagon and urged the president in writing to relocate the event elsewhere and to do away with the musical concert as a sign of respect for the 13 lives lost last Monday and their families. Lillikas said people who planned to turn up for tonight’s event would be supporters of Christofias and his government and warned clashes were highly likely. His letter, which was addressed to the president, was also forwarded to the House President, political party leaders and the media.
No one was yesterday available for comment from the presidential palace.
