Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus marked 51 years on Wednesday since a Greek military junta-sponsored coup overthrew the government led by Archbishop Makarios III on July 15, 1974. The coup was followed five days later by Turkey’s invasion of the island’s north.
Coup and leadership change
The coup was led by rebel factions of the National Guard and the Eoka-B paramilitary organisation on the orders of Dimitrios Ioannidis, a leading figure in Greece’s ruling military junta.
Greek officers led National Guard members in capturing the presidential palace. Makarios escaped through its rear entrance, travelled to Paphos and was flown from the British Royal Air Force base in Akrotiri to Malta the following day.
Nikos Sampson was installed as president after Makarios’ departure, and the Hellenic Republic of Cyprus was proclaimed.
Media censorship
The coup leaders announced their victory through public broadcaster CyBC, stating that the National Guard had intervened to solve the “problematic situation” and declaring that Makarios was dead.
The press was subsequently heavily censored. Only three right-wing Greek Cypriot newspapers, Machi, Ethiniki and Agon, continued publishing during Sampson’s short period in power.
Turkish Cypriot response and invasion
Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash said he believed the events were “among Greek Cypriots”, while warning Turkish Cypriots not to go outside. He also called on the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus, Unficyp, to take additional measures to ensure their safety.
Turkey launched an invasion of northern Cyprus five days after the coup, saying the action was in line with its responsibilities as a guarantor power of Cyprus.
Developments after the coup
Sampson resigned on July 23, 1974. Glafcos Clerides then led the Republic of Cyprus government until Makarios returned on December 7. Clerides later served as president from 1993 to 2003.
By the end of the summer, Turkey had taken control of nearly one-third of the island’s territory. Denktash led a provisional administration that became the Turkish Cypriot federated state in 1975, before declaring the unrecognised ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ in 1983.