Cyprus commemorates the 52nd anniversary of the 1974 coup d'état

On July 15, 2026, Cyprus observed the 52nd anniversary of the military coup d'état that took place on July 15, 1974. Official memorial services and special sessions of the House of Representatives were held across the country in the presence of President Nikos Christodoulides and Archbishop Georgios. The coup, orchestrated by the Greek military junta and EOKA B, targeted the government of Archbishop Makarios III and served as a pretext for the subsequent Turkish military invasion on July 20, 1974. Speakers described the events as a national tragedy that led to the ongoing occupation of 37% of Cyprus. Former Member of Parliament Kostis Efstathiou delivered a commemorative speech condemning the actions as a criminal betrayal of the Cypriot state. Meanwhile, Tahsin Ertugruloglu, a representative of the Turkish Cypriot authorities, defended the 1974 Turkish intervention as a legal measure for the protection of Turkish Cypriots. Events across the island included the symbolic sounding of sirens at 08:30, marking the time the coup began in 1974. The government reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing a sustainable solution for the reunification of Cyprus within the European Union.