Brussels, Belgium. The European Parliament on Wednesday adopted a report on the sexual violence suffered by Cypriot women during Turkey’s invasion in 1974, with 575 votes in favour, 33 against and 43 abstentions. All six Cypriot MEPs voted in favour of the report.
Parliament vote and positions
The parliament’s rapporteur on Turkey, Nacho Sanchez Amor, was among those who abstained.
On Tuesday, Greek MEP Eleonora Meleti of the ruling party Nea Dimokratia, who served as rapporteur for the report on sexual violence suffered by Cypriot women during Turkey’s invasion in 1974, urged fellow MEPs to support it.
“This is not just a resolution on Cyprus which I am asking you to support,” she said, adding that it was also “the story behind the resolution”.
“It is the women, the girls, those who left, those who are still here, those who we met a year ago on our mission, those who told us the darkest stories of violence, despair, humiliation and abuse,” she said.
Reactions from Cypriot MEPs
Elam MEP Geadis Geadi said, “while we should be speaking about the obvious, we are here to restore some common sense”.
“It is a shame that senior officials of the European Union, Kaja Kallas and Marta Kos, chose a few days ago to present Turkey as a key strategic partner, talking about deepening cooperation,” he said.
Akel MEP Giorgos Georgiou said that “in 1974, the Turkish armed forces in Cyprus systematically organised sexual violence against Greek Cypriot women and men of all ages”, and that this constitutes “another heinous crime [committed] by Turkey which remains unpunished”.
He also said, “However, we must be honest. Barbarities were also committed by Greek Cypriot paramilitary groups against Turkish Cypriot women. Rape has no colour, race, or religion. Wounds are difficult to heal.”
Georgiou added that “Cyprus and the European Union have an obligation to ensure the rights, dignity and historical memory of all women in Cyprus” and called for “the common pain [to] become a driving force for bicommunal cooperation and peace on our island”.
Opposition to the report
German MEP Irmhild Bossdorf, of the far-right party Alternative for Germany, criticised the report as “incomprehensible”.
