Turkey's Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz publicly attacked the European Parliament on Wednesday, calling its recent resolut...

Turkey's Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz publicly attacked the European Parliament on Wednesday, calling its recent resolution on the mass rapes of Cypriot women during the 1974 Turkish invasion "legally and morally baseless." Speaking after a meeting of the Turkish cabinet, Yilmaz said Ankara rejects the resolution "in the most categorical terms," claiming the Parliament acted under the influence of "Greek-Cypriot lobbies." He argued that this alleged lobbying has destroyed the EU institution's impartiality and credibility. Yilmaz went further, asserting that the EU lost any ability to approach the Cyprus issue objectively the moment it admitted the Republic of Cyprus as a member state. He also referred to Turkey's 1974 invasion as a "peace operation," claiming it brought security to both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike. The Turkish vice president deflected historical responsibility by pointing to what he called "the coup and the atrocities of EOKA," suggesting those seeking accountability for 1974 should look there first. He also argued that had Turkey not intervened as a guarantor power, Cyprus could have faced a humanitarian tragedy comparable, in his words, to what is unfolding in Gaza. Yilmaz also criticized the European Parliament for staying silent on the Gaza crisis, arguing that those who fail to show sensitivity toward crimes there cannot make credible decisions about Cyprus. He called on MEPs to adopt a "fairer and more balanced stance, free from ideological and lobbying influences." The European Parliament's resolution, which specifically addressed the sexual violence committed by Turkish forces against Cypriot women in 1974, has drawn a sharp diplomatic response from Ankara since its passage. #Cyprus #Turkey #EuropeanParliament