Dendias: Cyprus Is Close to Greece

In a statement released on the anniversary, Dendias said 52 years had passed since what he described as the "Turkish invasion," paying tribute to those who lost their lives, the missing, and "all those who defended the freedom of the great island."

"The Cyprus issue remains one of illegal occupation. Nicosia should not continue to be Europe's last divided capital," he said.

Addressing the Greek Cypriot community, Dendias added: "Our message to our brothers and sisters in Cyprus is clear: especially after recent developments, Cyprus is close."

His remarks were interpreted as a reference to Greece's increased military presence around Cyprus following the drone attack targeting the British Akrotiri Air Base in March.

After the attack, Greece deployed F-16 fighter jets to Paphos and sent the frigates Kimon and Psara to waters off Cyprus. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis later visited Cyprus and toured the frigate Kimon, describing it as "the pride of the Greek navy."

Greece has since maintained a continuous naval presence off the island, with the frigate Nikiforos Fokas currently deployed in the area.

Dendias' use of the phrase "Cyprus is close" was also seen as a reference to the well-known statement "Cyprus is far away," attributed to then Greek Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis in 1974.

According to historical accounts, after Turkey's military intervention in Cyprus in the summer of 1974, acting President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafcos Clerides requested additional military assistance from Greece. Karamanlis reportedly rejected the request, saying "Cyprus is far away"—a phrase that later became symbolic of Greece's policy during that period.