EU Parliament Backs Proposal for Memorial to Victims of 1974 Turkish Invasion of Cyprus

Michalis Hatzipantelas. Photo: icaew.com

STRASBOURG — A proposal by Cypriot MEP Michalis Hatzipantelas to establish a memorial at the European Parliament honoring the victims and missing persons of the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus was approved on Oct. 22, 2025.

As reported by the Cyprus Times, the amendment passed with 384 votes in favor, 202 against, and 58 abstentions as part of deliberations on the EU’s 2026 budget.

In a statement, Hatzipantelas' office said the initiative “was widely supported by his colleagues at the European Parliament, sending a strong political message for the Cyprus problem while at the same time showing the solidarity between member states.”

The amendment calls on Parliament to allocate resources for the creation of a memorial “dedicated to the victims of the 1974 Turkish invasion of the Republic of Cyprus, including missing persons.”

“Such a memorial in the heart of Europe will have powerful symbolism, reminding every European visitor and member of Cyprus’ tragedy, which remains an open wound for Europe,” the statement added.

“Europe has a duty to remember and to stand by the victims of the Turkish invasion,” Hatzipantelas said, calling the proposed monument “a symbol of remembrance, awareness, and historic truth for all Europeans.”

According to reporting from Cyprus Mail, Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman has condemned the decision to fund the monument, calling it a “painful” act that ignores Turkish Cypriots. He criticized the Parliament’s lack of awareness of the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP), which investigates disappearances from both communities, and argued that Turkish Cypriots currently lack direct representation in the EU Parliament.

The Turkish Cypriot presidency also criticized the monument as a one-sided, politicized measure that undermines the CMP’s humanitarian work. Both Erhurman and the presidency called for the decision to be reversed and vowed to take all necessary steps to "prevent the humanitarian issue from being used for political gain."

Previously, UOJ reported that an ancient church had been turned into a cafe-bar in occupied Cyprus.

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