Greek officer’s remains to be handed over to family after 46 years

The remains of a Greek officer killed during the fighting in 1974 will be handed over on Thursday – allowing his relatives to bury him after 46 years.

George Katsanis’ remains were discovered last month by the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) in a mass grave in the north.

He was killed by a Turkish sniper on 21 July 1974 during a skirmish near St Hilarion castle, Kyrenia, state media reported.

The ceremony will be attended by Presidential Commissioner Photis Photiou and Greek Deputy Defence Minister Alkiviadis Stefanis.

“The government and the people hand over the remains of a great hero who fought for Cyprus,” Photiou said on Wednesday.

According to Photiou, there are more cases of remains from 1974 belonging to Greeks which have been identified. In total, 47 Greeks who went missing in 1974 have not been found yet, Photiou added.

The ceremony to hand over his remains to his two daughters will take place on Thursday 10am, in Strovolos, Nicosia.

After Thursday’s ceremony Katsanis’ remains will be flown to Greece in a C-130 military aircraft. The funeral will be held on Saturday in Sidirokastro, in northern Greece.

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