Cyprus is today a more secure country exactly because it is a member of the European family, the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola told the Cyprus News Agency in a written statement on the anniversary of the 1974 invasion and the efforts to restart negotiations to reunify the country.

“Europe will never be completed as long as Cyprus remains divided. The division of an EU Member State is not only a Cypriot issue, but a European one”, Metsola said.

“Since joining the EU in 2004, Cyprus is now a more secure country exactly because it is a member of the European family” she stressed.

“Europe must use its experience to bring people together. The only way to reunify the island of Cyprus and its people is via communication, diplomacy, and negotiation” she added.

“And the only way forward is a single sovereign, European State; a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation, under the auspices of the UN peace plan and in line with our shared European values” the President underlined.

“So, on this anniversary we stand by Cyprus and I sincerely hope that negotiations for reunification can resume soon”, Metsola stressed.