**Turkish VP Rejects European Parliament Resolution on 1974 Rapes**
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz has firmly dismissed a recent resolution passed by the European Parliament that addresses the issue of rape and sexual violence committed by Turkish soldiers during the 1974 invasion of Cyprus. During a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Yilmaz described the resolution as “legally and morally unfounded,” asserting that it “has no force” and that Turkey categorically rejects it.
The European Parliament's resolution, adopted last week, calls for acknowledgment of the sexual violence experienced by women and girls during the 1974 invasion, increased support for survivors, and the preservation of historical accounts surrounding these events. It also emphasizes the importance of accountability for sexual violence related to the conflict and insists that such crimes must not be forgotten.
In response, Yilmaz criticized the European Parliament for allegedly being influenced by “Greek Cypriot lobbies,” which he argued compromised the institution's impartiality and credibility. He contended that the European Union lost its ability to approach the Cyprus issue objectively after Cyprus became a member state.
Defending Turkey's military intervention in Cyprus, Yilmaz reiterated the long-standing position that the operation was a “peace operation” conducted under Turkey's rights as a guarantor power. He suggested that those who seek to assign historical responsibility should instead focus on the events leading up to the invasion, including the coup and actions attributed to the Greek Cypriot paramilitary group, EOKA. Yilmaz claimed that Turkey's intervention ultimately brought “peace and security” to both Turkish and Greek Cypriots.
Furthermore, Yilmaz made a provocative comparison, arguing that had Turkey not intervened in 1974, Cyprus might have faced a humanitarian crisis similar to the current situation in Gaza. He criticized the European Parliament for its perceived lack of concern regarding humanitarian issues in Gaza while prioritizing what he characterized as a politically motivated resolution on Cyprus.
Yilmaz urged the European Parliament to adopt a more balanced and fair approach to the Cyprus issue, free from what he described as ideological and lobbying influences. He emphasized that the institution's role should be to uphold “the rule of law and justice” rather than cater to political expediencies.
Research and survivor testimonies have indicated that sexual violence was employed as a tactic of war during Operation Attila, with estimates suggesting that up to 1,500 Greek Cypriot women and children were subjected to various forms of sexual violence, including rape and gang rape. Scholars have argued that such acts contributed to the forced displacement of civilians and were intended to instill fear in local populations, accelerating the migration of Greek Cypriots southward.
The scale of the abuse was significant enough that the Orthodox Church temporarily lifted its ban on abortion in the aftermath of the conflict. Academic studies have also noted that sexual violence was perpetrated by TMT militants as a form of retribution for historical intercommunal violence and in response to military victories by the Greek Cypriot forces.
The ongoing discourse surrounding the European Parliament's resolution and Turkey's response reflects the complex and contentious history of the Cyprus conflict, which remains unresolved decades after the events of 1974.