Cyprus celebrates independence day

Cyprus is on Tuesday celebrating its independence day, with various events taking place across the island to celebrate the day.

The official commemorations began at 8.30am, with President Nikos Christodoulides laying a wreath at the Imprisoned Graves at the central prison, where 13 Eoka fighters killed during the 1950s were interred.

Then, at 9am, Christodoulides laid a wreath at the monument to the island’s first president, Archbishop Makarios III, and subsequently visited the Liberty Moument on Nicosia’s walls to lay another wreath.

He will be present on Iosif X Iosif avenue in Strovolos later in the morning, with a military parade set to salute him. Hundreds of well-wishers are set to gather to watch the parade in Strovolos.

Later in the day, Christodoulides will hold a reception with the first lady Philippa Karsera Christodoulides for members of the consular and diplomatic corps who are based on the island.

Taking part in Tuesday morning’s parade will be the motorised and infantry divisions of the National Guard, the police, the fire brigade, the forestry department, the civil defence, and the ambulance service.

A number of roads around Iosif X Iosif avenue are set to be closed for the parade, with motorists in the area urged to take precautions, to seek alternative routes, and to follow the instructions of the police officers on duty.

Cyprus became an independent country on August 16, 1960, but independence day commemorations were moved to October 1 in the early 1960s to avoid the hot summer holiday season.

October 1 became a national holiday in Cyprus in 1979.