Turkey condemns EU plan for Greek Cypriot memorial in Strasbourg

The Turkish Ministry of National Defense has issued a formal rejection of the European Parliament's decision to allocate funds for a memorial at the institution's building in Strasbourg. The monument is intended to commemorate Greek Cypriots who lost their lives during the events of 1974. Ankara characterized the decision as a biased approach aimed at distorting historical facts and claimed that the monument specifically targets the Turkish Armed Forces.

In its official statement, the Turkish ministry defended the 1974 military operation, describing it as a "peace operation" that saved the Turkish Cypriot people from systematic attacks and massacres. Ankara further criticized the European Union and its institutions for allegedly ignoring the historical context of the period between 1963 and 1974, including the actions of EOKA. The Turkish defense ministry warned that it remains fully prepared to provide a response to any hostile stance that threatens the security of the Turkish Cypriot population, while urging international actors to adopt a fair and impartial position.