GOVERNMENT OF CYPRUS

CYPRUS GOVERNMENT



NAME

Republic of Cyprus
Listen to the National Anthem

Click here for the Cyprus Government official Web site.
Click here for the Cyprus Embassy in the United States monthly Newsletters.

NOTE

Independence was granted to the island in 1960 after a struggle against England. In 1974 a forceful Turkish invasion divided the island. The results of the invasion were: 37% of the island is under Turkish occupation, 200,000 Cypriots are still refugees and 1619 Greek Cypriots are still missing. On 15 November 1983 the Turkish leader Rauf DENKTASH declared independence. His so called "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC) was declared immediately by all nations as non existent. It is only recognized by Turkey.

CAPITAL

Nicosia

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS

6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaka, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos

CONSTITUTION

16 August 1960; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island. In 1963 the Turkish Cypriot leadership, following there rejection to amendments to the constitution proposed by Archipishop Makarios (the president of Cyprus at that time), withdrew from all governmental activities and refused to cooperate with the elected government.
The main points of the constitution structure of the Cyprus Republic, which was built in 1960 under the London-Zurich Treaty and terminated the English occupation, are:

As it was mentioned above,in 1963, the Turkish vice-president and ministers withdrew from any governmental activities, and since 1964 United Nations Forces are in the island;these forces are called UNFICYP, which stands for United Nations Forces In Cyprus.

JUSTICE

According to the constitution, justice was carried out by two different courts, one for the Greek-Cypriots and one for the Turkish-Cypriots. When the case was between a Greek-Cypriot and a Turkish-Cypriot, then the Superior Court was called. Also the Superior Court was in charge for cases concerning constitutional differences between the two communities.

NATIONAL GUARD

According to the constitution, one National Guard, with the name Cyprus Army, should be formed, with 2000 soldiers, with a proportion of 60% Greek-Cypriots and 40% Turkish-Cypriots. Cyprus army would be responsible for the national guard and security of the island. Because of the different way of life, culture and religious between the Greek-Cypriots and the Turkish-Cypriots, it wasn't possible this "mixed" kind of army to work out. So actually, in 1963, the above army structure sentence, was not voted by the House of the Representatives. After the crisis of 1963 and the bloody fights between the Greeks and Turks of the island, particularly in 1964, the Greek-Cypriots Senators, voted the formation of the National Guard,with a mandatory eighteenth(18)-month service by all Greek-Cypriots from the age of 18 up to 50.
After the invasion of the Turkish troops in 1974, the mandatory service in the National Guard by all Greek-Cypriots increased to twenty-six(26) months.

Armed Forces and Military balance with Turkey
By Vryonis Center

NOTE

After the Turkish invasion in Cyprus, in 1974, and the withdraw of the Turkish-Cypriots from every governmental activity, the constitution of the Republic of Cyprus is carried out only by the Greek-Cypriots.

NATIONAL HOLIDAY

Independence Day, 1 October

POLITICAL PARTIES AND LEADERS

ELECTIONS

HEAD OF GOVERNMENT

President Glafkos CLERIDES (since 28 February 1993)

MEMBER OF

C, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION IN THE WHOLE WORLD

The complete list, from Kypros-Net.

FLAG

White with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name Cyprus is derived from the Latin word for copper) above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities.

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