When sirens sounded at dawn yesterday, they not only remind Greek Cypriots of the Turkish invasion but also serve as a wake-up call that Cyprus is on the brink of political and economic meltdown.
President Demetris Christofias is struggling to keep his government from imploding in the aftershock of a devastating July 11 munitions explosion at a naval base that claimed 13 lives and knocked out a key power plant.
The defence and foreign ministers have already resigned, and the junior government partner could pull out altogether as Christofias is assailed by unprecedented public protest over perceived administration incompetence.
Yesterday’s “black anniversary” of the July 20, 1974 invasion has coincided with an outpouring of grief and outrage over July 11, 2011 – now labelled Black Monday.
“We are all devastated by the loss of 13 people who lost their lives in the line of duty,” official news agency CNA quoted Mr Christofias as saying on Tuesday night at a Presidential palace event marking the invasion anniversary.
He spoke as riot police prevented protesters from approaching the gate of the palace compound after allowing hundreds of his own supporters inside, an AFP correspondent said.
The blast tragedy comes with Mr Christofias in Presidential mid-term, his popularity in decline and his credibility creaking.
“Christofias has lost his appeal completely so I don’t know what he can do. There’s a lot of pressure on him from the people to resign,” political commentator Sofronis Sofroniou said.
“His position is untenable... Even if he finds a solution to the Cyprus problem he won’t be able to sell it. He’s a diminished president at a very critical time for Cyprus,” he added.
The government’s priorities now are saving the economy and keeping the peace process alive. It is struggling on both fronts.
Mr Christofias is under pressure to deliver a peace blueprint in October when he and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu meet UN chief Ban Ki-moon.
Since UN-sponsored peace talks restarted in September 2008 there has been no tangible evidence of progress, and the international community is impatient.
Communist-backed Mr Christofias came to power on a wave of popularity and a pledge to reunify the island after 37 years of division. He was viewed as a pro-settlement leader who could deliver that ever-elusive peace deal.
Now the United Nations wants a Cyprus solution before Nicosia takes up the EU Presidency in mid-2012. Any peace accord must be ratified by Cypriots in twin referendums on both sides of the divide.