Cyprus Commandos to March in Thessaloniki for the First Time
For the first time in history, a Cypriot National Guard commando unit will march in Thessaloniki's October 28 military parade. A 24-member commando platoon from Cyprus's National Guard is set to step onto Megalou Alexandrou Avenue this Wednesday at 11 a.m., joining Greece's Oxi Day celebrations.
Marching alongside them will be veterans who fought against the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, as well as members of the Pancyprian Organisation for the Rehabilitation of War Disabled. Their presence connects two generations of Hellenic sacrifice on the same avenue, at the same parade.
Their presence connects two generations of Hellenic sacrifice on the same avenue, at the same parade.
The October 28 parade in Thessaloniki carries particular weight this year. The city marks not only the anniversary of Greece's refusal to submit to Mussolini's ultimatum in 1940, but also the liberation of Thessaloniki and the feast day of its patron saint, Agios Dimitrios, all converging in a single commemoration. War-disabled Cypriot veterans had taken part in 2024 as well, with 12 members marching then, but a Cypriot National Guard detachment on Greek soil is something the parade has never seen before.
The appearance of Cypriot commandos in Thessaloniki carries a clear signal at a time when Cyprus's security remains a live issue. It is a public, uniformed statement that the two countries stand as one.
