A common day rally was held on Labour Day in Nicosia.
Thousands of Turkish and Greek Cypriots, who represent various civil society organizations, marched yesterday on 1 May Labour Day in Nicosia’s buffer zone for the first time in 56 years.
The majority of the demonstrations were about democracy, a united Cyprus and changes in employment.
At the event the first of its kind since 1958 attended Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ozkan Yorgancioglu, the former Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat and former Greek Cypriot President Demetris Christofias.
General Secretary of PEO which organized the demonstration, along with Turkish Cypriot union Dev-Is, Pambis Kyritsis said: “We are here together this evening with a unified vision for a common homeland.”
The celebration continued with live performances by Group Baria, Sun Anahtari, Kullis Theodorou and Arda Gunduz.
Previously published:
Common majfirande will take place, for the first time in 56 years, with Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot unions in the UN buffer zone. The celebration will take place tomorrow, Thursday May 1, at Cetinkaya football stadium in the buffer zone at 19:00.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, the Secretary General of the labour union PEO, Pambis Kyritsis, and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot revolutionary trade union federation DEV-IS, Mehmet Seyis, said that the joint celebration sends a message of unity among workers in Cyprus.
The message was read in both Greek and Turkish, and the two union leaders stressed that “the global economic crisis and its consequences have highlighted additional common class interests of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot workers, and the need to intensify their battles against the measures of austerity and elimination of workers’ performance “.
It is noted that the resumption of negotiations to resolve the Cyprus issue, is a “positive development.”
“A mutually accepted solution, which expresses the interests of all Cypriots, is the common goal for the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot workers,” says the unions.
PEO is organizing a gathering outside the Finance Ministry in Nicosia on Thursday, at 18 o’clock and participants will then march to Cetinkaya football stadium in the buffer zone where the events will start at 19:00.
