Turkey has condemned the European Parliament and EU institutions as tools of Greek-Cypriot propaganda after a European Parliament committee recommended funding a monument in Cyprus for the 2027 budget. Ankara defended its 1974 military intervention on the island, criticizing European officials for abandoning neutrality.
Ankara has sharply criticized the European Union, targeting the European Parliament over a committee recommendation linked to the 2027 European Union budget. The friction centers on a proposal from the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee to allocate resources for a monument planned on the island.
The 2027 Budget Recommendation and the Monument Dispute
The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a written statement addressing the committee’s actions regarding upcoming EU financial planning. According to the Turkish government, the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee recommended setting aside funds in the 2027 budget for a monument intended to be built in Cyprus.
Ankara contends that the project aims to defame the Turkish Armed Forces, arguing that the initiative politicizes historical memory. The ministry stated that the effort distorts historical facts regarding the division of the island and serves political narratives pushed by regional authorities.
Ankara’s Defense of the 1974 Military Operation
In its official announcement, the Turkish foreign ministry reiterated its long-standing position on the 1974 military action in Cyprus, describing it as a peace operation that safeguarded the Turkish Cypriot population.
The Turkish Armed Forces, with the Peace Operation in Cyprus in 1974, prevented the extermination of the Turkish Cypriot people and brought peace to the entire island for more than half a century. Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, via CNN.gr
The ministry maintained that the military presence on the island has preserved stability for more than fifty years. Turkish officials argued that the claims brought forward by the Greek Cypriot side manipulate history rather than contribute to reconciliation.
Accusations Against European Institutions and Neutrality
Beyond the monument project itself, the Turkish government directed its criticism at the broader institutional framework of the European Union. Ankara argued that EU bodies have abandoned principles of neutrality and fairness.
Instead of assisting efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue, the Turkish foreign ministry asserted that European institutions are undermining trust between the communities on the island. The statement called on EU officials to remain impartial and avoid adopting positions that reinforce only one side of the division.
We call on EU officials not to become tools of those whose every step aims at distancing Turkey from the EU. Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, via Protothema
The ministry emphasized that such actions only serve to hinder the progress of diplomatic relations and further complicate the long-standing efforts to reach a lasting resolution on the island.
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