President Nikos Christodoulides on Saturday evening called for unity and empathy during an Easter address, saying the way ahead was difficult and everyone would be walking it together.

He also said his government had achieved so much, including movement on the Cyprus problem, rebranding the country abroad, forming strong bilateral relations across the globe and better conditions for the people.

In a televised message, Christodoulides said the symbolism of the religious holiday, “which thankfully is also celebrated in Karpasia and Kormakitis, constitutes an inexhaustible source of empathy, love and hope.

“It strengthens us, as does the unfailing light that all Christians share tonight in every corner of the earth,” he added.

The president said it was “precisely this light I hope, from my heart, will flood our homes and souls, with each one of us becoming a beacon of service to and solidarity with our fellow man, standing by the most vulnerable, offering support, as the state itself must, for our children, our elderly and people with disabilities.”

As the bells announcing the resurrection sound across Cyprus, they remain silent in the north, he said.

“Our refugees will not exchange wishes in their homes and those who suffered and continue to experience the tragic consequences of the Turkish invasion and occupation, will not celebrate as they deserve to,” he added.

Christodoulides went on to affirm his determination to continue to pursue the resumption of negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem, “to reunify Cyprus, liberate it, so that we can all live together in conditions of peace and security.

“The difficulties and challenges are well known. However, we have the determination and our plans, and I promise you I will exhaust every opportunity so that the Cyprus problem not only gets placed on the negotiating track, but also on the path for a definitive solution,” he said.

The government, he added, “draws strength from the will of our people and the thirst for freedom and peace.

“In cooperation with all political parties and always in a spirit of unity, we are moving forward on the basis of strategy which is already bearing fruit,” he said.

There was only one option, the president said.

“We will continue our struggle insistently, simply because for us there is only one option: the solution of the Cyprus problem and the reunification of our homeland,” he said.

In this effort, he added, Cyprus is not alone, but enjoys the support of Greece, the European Union and the island’s strategic partners.

Referring to the international scene, Christodoulides said there was geopolitical and financial unrest, and for this reason the government was following “a prudent fiscal policy, with social sensitivity, far from populist approaches and empty promises.

“Times are difficult and unpredictable. Nevertheless, our country has proved that its economy is resilient and competitive,” he said.

Christodoulides added that “this strong economy and the international recognition of its resilience allow us to continue responsibly to implement a governance programme with people at the centre.

“Without a strong economy with growth prospects, you cannot plan and have a welfare state and social policy. Our government from the beginning has laid solid economic foundations, so that the welfare state is strengthened daily, the mother, the child and the family are supported, our security and defence are strengthened,” he assured.

Referring to migration, Christodoulides said the government was addressing the issue “successfully”.

He added that housing, energy, health and education were other sectors the government was “working hard” to improve.

On an international level, he said, the government was taking initiatives through a dynamic foreign policy to upgrade the status of the country and attract foreign investments.

Reforms, he added, were also being promoted to secure a prosperous future, in a country with “happy people who can dream, create and advance”.

“Our country today is a trustworthy partner, not only in the context of the EU, but also in the broader region of the Middle East, with strong ties on the other side of the Atlantic, with a role and say that is recognised and utilised to the benefit of our people,” Christodoulides said.

Concluding his message, the president said, “No matter how arduous the path ahead is, we will walk it together, in unity and with determination, so that the light of peace and prosperity spreads to the whole island.”