The Speaker of the House, Annita Demetriou, on Saturday called for Cyprus to use its European Union membership to create a framework for pressuring Ankara.

She said this would make it clear that Ankara’s ambitions to participate in EU policies, such as common defence, security, and customs alignment, depend on its relations with Cyprus and Greece. Demetriou spoke at the annual national memorial for the heroes of the Liope­tri barn. The event, held at the church of Panayia Eleousa, commemorates four men who were killed during the anti-colonial struggle for Cypriot independence.

“Seventy years on, the wounds of the Turkish invasion and occupation remain open,” she said.

“Refugees remain in their own country, there are missing persons, and people live behind barbed wire or with borrowed memories.”

She described the four men, Andreas Karios, Fotis Pittas, Elias Papakyriakou, and Christos Samaras, as “symbols of the unyielding Greek Cypriot spirit.”

Demetriou added that their sacrifice should guide the nation today.

The House president emphasised the importance of historical truth. She warned against attempts to distort or diminish the significance of the struggle, saying such actions were disrespectful to those who gave their lives.

“History is written by deeds, not by posts. The national liberation struggle of Eoka is proof of the greatness of Cypriot Hellenism,” she said.

Demetriou also linked the remembrance of the heroes to current political issues. She said Cyprus and Greece must act together with “faith and persistence” using international law, EU principles, and alliances to address what she called Turkey’s intransigence. She cited Turkey’s continued occupation, support for a two-state solution, and provocations in the exclusive economic zone and the Aegean.

The memorial service concluded with a procession to the heroes’ monument, a memorial for the four men, where a memorial service was performed and wreaths were laid. The government was represented by Deputy Minister of Tourism Costas Koumis.