Ankara slams EU plan to fund monument defaming Turkish military

ANKARA

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has criticized an EU plan to sponsor the construction of a monument to defame the Turkish military over the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation.

“It has come to our attention that the opinion of the European Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality regarding the 2027 EU budget includes a recommendation to allocate funds for the construction of a so-called memorial by the Greek Cypriot Administration, aimed at defaming the Turkish Armed Forces,” read the statement by the ministry on late Sept. 3.

The statement recalled that the Turkish Armed Forces prevented the extermination of the Turkish Cypriot people and brought peace to the entire Island, which has prevailed for over half a century, thanks to the peace operation.

“The allegations made by the Greek Cypriot side distort and politicize historical facts. Instead of contributing to a settlement of the Cyprus issue, EU institutions are further undermining trust between the two peoples by departing from the principles of impartiality and justice and becoming a tool for the Greek Cypriot side’s propaganda,” it said.

The ministry called on EU officials “not to become an instrument of those seeking to distance Türkiye from the EU with every step they take.”

Ankara has long been criticizing the EU for losing its impartiality over the Cyprus question after admitting Greek Cyprus into the EU, although it rejected a U.N. referendum to permanently resolve the division of the island.

Türkiye launched the 1974 Peace Operation following a coup backed by the military junta in Greece that sought to unite Cyprus with Greece. Ankara carried out the operation to restore constitutional order and protect the Turkish Cypriot community after years of intercommunal violence. Following the partition of the island, the Turkish Cypriot side is recognized solely by Ankara.