The Truth Behind Makarios and Cyprus' Independence
November 16, 2025
Makarios, who dominated Cypriot politics from 1950 to 1977, is surrounded by many myths regarding his political actions. One notable statement was made in 1958, where he called for Cyprus' independence without ties to Greece or Turkey. However, the reality is that the idea of independence was first proposed by Greek Foreign Minister Evangelos Averof. Averof expressed positions for independence before Makarios and communicated the Greek government's stance on the Cyprus issue. The myth that Makarios was the first to propose independence is not true.