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GOLDEN MEDALS HANDED OUT TO MARTYR FAMILIES AND DISABLED WAR VETERANS

Martyr Families and Disabled War Veterans Association handed out golden medals to 195 martyr families and disabled war veterans at a reception at the Lefkosa Merit Hotel last night.

President Mehmet Ali Talat, Speaker of the Republics Assembly Hasan Bozer, Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu, 1st President Rauf Dentkas, Turkish Ambassador to Lefkosa Sakir Fakili, the Commander of the Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces Lieutenant General Hilmi Akin Zorlu and many high ranking officials all attended the event.

The event started with a minute of silence and then the national anthem.
160 martyr families and 35 disabled war veterans received a golden medal and certificates.
Making the opening speech the President of the Martyr Families and Disabled War Veterans Ertan Ersan said that today was a historic day for the families.

He said he was proud to hand out medals and certificates to the families on the 35th anniversary of the 20th of July Peace and Freedom Day.
He said in the coming days a total of 1700 martyr families and close to 300 disabled war veterans would be receive golden medals and certificates.

Also speaking during the event the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Mehmet Ali Talat said the Association handing out medals to martyr families and disabled war veterans was a way of paying back a debt.

‘Of course we will always be indebted to the martyrs, disabled war veterans and everyone who helped in our struggle for existence and this medal will never be enough to repay this debt,’ said the President and called on the government to take action to start repaying its debts.

‘We have laws but until today no government has put this law into practice, and I want to use this opportunity to remind that the time has come to repay our dues to the families’ said the President.

‘Thanks to the struggle waged by the martyrs we are able to live in a free and democratic country’, said Talat and added that ‘we are not perfect but we are proud of our freedom and democracy. We are in a better position than many other world countries we are more democratic and are living in more free circumstances.’

He concluded by saying with the support of Motherland Turkey before and after 1974 and the efforts, struggle and determination of the Turks of Cyprus has enabled us to get here.’