Cyprus celebrates Europe Day and 20 years of membership
Cyprus is joining in the celebrations for Europe Day on Thursday with events and ceremonies across the island marking the occasion. There is added significance for Cyprus as May 1 also marked the 20th anniversary of its accession to the EU.
May 9 marks the anniversary of the historic ‘Schuman declaration’, as it was the day in 1950 that it was presented by French foreign minister Robert Schuman. The declaration laid the foundations of a new form of political cooperation in Europe. His proposal is considered to be the beginning of what is now the European Union.
Marking the occasion, President Nikos Christodoulides will be attending a celebratory event at the Municipal Theatre in Nicosia at 7.30pm tonight.
He is expected to deliver a speech on the occasion, along with European Commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas and EU’s Cypriot Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakidou.
The president and Kyriakidou were also present at a ceremony for the raising of the European Union flag on Thursday morning in the courtyard of the old Nicosia town hall in Eleftheria Square.
“It is with great joy that I take part in today’s event, a special day for the European Union and for our country as well, in this emblematic event which offers us the opportunity to pay tribute to the pioneers and the founding fathers of the great European family to which we belong,” Christodoulides said during the ceremony.
“Today, we reflect on the milestone of accession with feelings of pride, optimism as well as responsibility towards the new generation. Feelings of pride for what we have achieved as an active and equal member state of the European Union. Twenty years after our country’s accession, the transformation of our country for the better is clearly evident.”
Both the Nicosia town hall and Eleftheria Square were lit up on Europe Day, as were landmarks in over 60 European cities.
“In an exactly one month, we will be called to the ballot in order to elect the new members of the European Parliament,” Christodoulides said.
“The electoral process on June 9 is, therefore, not an obligation but a mission, it is our contribution to the democratic process and a celebration of democracy.”
Apart from Thursday’s celebrations, on Friday there will be a special session of the House plenum, to mark Cyprus’ 20th anniversary of accession to the EU. The session will begin at 10am and will last for an hour, followed by another celebration at the Cyprus Theatre Organisation (Thoc) premises nearby.
House speaker Annita Demetriou will address the plenum, followed by the leaders or representatives of the political parties and independent MPs.
The plenary session will be attended by the First Vice-President of the Hellenic Parliament Ioannis Plakiotakis, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malta Dr Angelo Farrugia, the Vice-President of the Parliament of Lithuania Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė and the Vice-President of the National Assembly of Slovenia Danijel Krivec as guests of Demetriou.