The inhabitants of Cyprus observed a series of somber anniversaries, marking 50 years since the 1974 coup orchestrated by the Greek junta and the subsequent Turkish invasion. These events, which the Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) describes as “two component parts of the same NATO plan for the division of our homeland people,” have left a painful legacy of bloodshed and devastation on the island.
On July 15, 1974, the Greek military dictatorship overthrew the elected government led by Makarios III, aiming to annex Cyprus to Greece. This intervention, enabled by Western forces including the United States and NATO, paved the way for the Turkish invasion that followed only days later, on July 20. The events caused the displacement, killing, and disappearance of hundreds of thousands of people, with over a third of the island remaining under Turkish occupation to this day.
Efforts to build peace have stalled since 2017, causing ongoing tension for the island’s residents. Breaking away from the vision of a federated Cyprus, Turkish authorities have pushed for partition. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reaffirmed this stance during a military parade held on the anniversary in the occupied northern territories. Meanwhile, areas outside the occupied zone commemorated the day in remembrance of those who died fighting for self-determination and freedom.
AKEL warns that, today, the colonization of occupied territories is causing harm to local communities and enabling further exploitation by foreign capital and militarization. “Nationalism in both communities is widening the gap in people’s minds and time is plunging our country into the quicksand of permanent partition,” the party stated.
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Amid rising revisionist trends, it is crucial to support the unity originally envisioned for Cyprus after British colonial rule, according to progressive networks worldwide. With increasing global militarization and disregard for international law, finding a peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem is more important than ever, stated a network of 33 communist and workers’ parties from countries including Palestine, Iraq, Iran, and Belgium, in a letter to AKEL.
European parties united in The Left group emphasized the need for action at all levels to end the occupation. They urged the Turkish government to abandon its pretensions to gain recognition for the secession of occupied territories and called on the European Union to ensure any discussions on Turkey’s accession include guarantees to return to the peacebuilding framework.
“Only the freedom and reunification of our homeland people can guarantee a future of peace and security … We call on the Cypriot people to strengthen the flame of hope and the struggle for reunification and peace,” AKEL stated.
