European Parliament’s Cyprus act: One-sided, political narrative

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution addressing alleged sexual violence against Cypriot women during the 1974 Peace Operation, demanding reparations from Türkiye and the withdrawal of Turkish troops. The resolution passed with a significant majority, though a notable number of votes were against or abstained.

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baseless and preposterous allegations against the heroic Turkish Armed Forces

Ankara and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) have strongly denounced the resolution. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs described it as containing "baseless and preposterous allegations against the heroic Turkish Armed Forces." Similarly, the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs labeled the text as a manifestation of the European Parliament's "biased, prejudiced and politically motivated" approach to the Cyprus issue. AK Party spokesperson Ömer Çelik called the resolution "a despicable slander."

Critics argue the resolution presents a one-sided narrative, focusing solely on the Turkish Armed Forces while ignoring the "Bloody Christmas" massacre of Turkish Cypriot civilians by Greek EOKA militants in 1963-64 and subsequent attacks. Even a Greek Cypriot MEP acknowledged that Greek Cypriot paramilitary groups committed atrocities against Turkish Cypriot women, a fact omitted from the EP's text. Türkiye's 1974 operation was stated as being carried out to protect the Turkish Cypriot population.

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biased, prejudiced and politically motivated

Further questioning the resolution's foundation, some MEPs noted its tenuous connection to the core issues between Türkiye and Greece. The resolution's basis, a 1976 European Commission of Human Rights report, relied on witness testimony from a politically charged era and did not establish individual military accountability. The varying numbers of alleged victims, from 1,000 to 1,500, lack official verification. The initiative's origin, driven by Greek Cypriot and Greek MEPs, suggests a politically shaped document compiled without consulting Turkish Cypriot records.

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a despicable slander