Strasbourg: A debate on the impact of the 1974 Turkish invasion on the women and girls of Cyprus, the crimes committed by Turkish forces, and the consequences for gender equality was held on Tuesday in the plenary of the European Parliament.
According to Cyprus News Agency, a relevant resolution is expected to be brought before the plenary on Wednesday, with New Democracy MEP Eleonora Meleti as rapporteur. During her intervention, Meleti emphasized that the resolution concerns 'the story behind the resolution,' specifically highlighting the violence, abuse, and humiliation suffered by Cypriot women and girls during the Turkish invasion of 1974.
The rapporteur recounted encounters with women who, for the first time in decades, shared their harrowing experiences with a European Parliament delegation during a mission to Cyprus one year ago. Many had remained silent due to shame or fear, enduring ongoing consequences such as stigma, isolation, marginalization, and loneliness. Meleti underscored that these testimonies were not only personal accounts but also spoke on behalf of those who would never voice their ordeal publicly. During the mission, there was a promise that their experiences and pain would be heard.
ELAM MEP Geadis Geadi, representing the European Conservatives and Reformists political group, referred to the discussion as addressing a forgotten war crime: the rapes and sexual violence inflicted on Cypriot women and girls during the 1974 invasion. Geadi highlighted the enduring pain, noting that the tragedy remains fresh in memory and that the occupation continues in a member state of the European Union. He criticized statements by Kaja Kallas and Marta Kos, who described Turkey as a 'key strategic partner,' arguing that such positions are offensive to the women of Cyprus and contradict the values of the European Union. Geadi asserted that Cypriot women deserve accountability and justice, free from hypocrisy.
AKEL MEP and member of The Left political group Giorgos Georgiou pointed out that the gendered consequences of war, one of its most chilling aspects, are often concealed. Georgiou stated that in 1974, Turkish armed forces systematically and organizedly committed sexual violence against Greek Cypriot women and men of all ages. He described these acts as heinous crimes for which Turkey remains unpunished, while also acknowledging atrocities committed by Greek Cypriot paramilitary groups against Turkish Cypriot women. 'Rape has no colour, race, or religion,' Georgiou emphasized, noting that acknowledging these wounds can have a redemptive effect. He urged that Cyprus and the European Union have an obligation to preserve the dignity, rights, and historical memory of all women of Cyprus who suffered such violence.
DIKO MEP and member of the Socialists and Democrats Costas Mavrides criticized the use of the term 'conflict' to describe the situation in Cyprus, clarifying that there is no conflict between Greece and Turkey, nor between the two communities. He characterized the situation as an invasion by Turkey against the Republic of Cyprus and highlighted that this represents an ongoing occupation of European Union territory by Turkey in Cyprus.