President Nikos Christodoulides has praised former Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos during a ceremony in the village of Lefkara, where Pavlopoulos was declared an honorary citizen.
Christodoulides said Pavlopoulos had distinguished himself as an academic, minister and head of state, noting his “devotion, integrity and service to Hellenism,” including consistent support for Cyprus.
He highlighted Pavlopoulos’ role between 2015 and 2020, saying he used every international platform to underline the legal dimensions of the Cyprus issue and the need for any settlement to comply with EU law.
The president said Pavlopoulos’ positions remain central to Cyprus’ own efforts to end the island’s division and “lift the occupation barbed wire.”
Christodoulides also referred to Cyprus’ current presidency of the Council of the European Union, saying the country is promoting the goal of a “more autonomous European Union” amid global instability. He stressed that Cyprus, Greece and other EU states believe the bloc must engage more strategically with the wider Middle East.
He thanked Greece for its recent assistance to Cyprus, including the deployment of aircraft and naval vessels, calling it a reminder of the “historic and fraternal ties” between the two countries.
Christodoulides said Cyprus will continue to act as a “pillar of stability” in the region, adding that Cypriots, as “a people who grew up under occupation,” understand the cost of war and displacement.
He welcomed Pavlopoulos back to Cyprus, noting that he had previously been honored by the occupied municipality of Morphou.
The ceremony was hosted by the Lefkara municipality, whose officials the president congratulated for the initiative.