Cypriot firemen honoured by Greek government

Cypriot firemen, who joined forces with Greek firefighters in the past five days to combat the huge blazes in Greece, have been honoured in a special ceremony by the Greek government, before their return to Cyprus.

On Sunday, the Cypriot firemen laid a wreath at a monument for firemen killed on duty.

The ceremony was held in Chalandri, in the presence of Greek Minister of Public Order Viron Polydoras, the Ambassador of Cyprus to Greece Giorgos Georgis and the Chief of the Fire Department Andreas Kois.

Polydoras handed over honorary certificates to the 168 participants in the Cypriot mission and thanked them for their valuable help.

He said that he had thanked Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos and that he was in constant touch with Cyprus Justice and Public Order Minister Sophocles Sophocleous and the Chief of Police Iacovos Papacostas.

“Once again the fraternal relations between Cyprus and Greece have been reaffirmed,” Polydoras said.

Georgis thanked Polydoras for his words and said that the Cypriot firemen had become “the apostles” of Cyprus in Greece.

Speaking after the ceremony, Polydoras said that following overnight operations at Karistena and operations in Parnonas in the morning, all fires have been extinguished.

Meanwhile a team of five Cypriot technocrats left Sunday for Greece, with a view to evaluate the extensive damage suffered in Artemida village in Peloponnesus, during the recent fires that caused devastation across the country.

The mission flies to Greece following a Cyprus government decision to undertake the cost of rebuilding Artemida.