He called for an official condemnation of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus on behalf of SYRIZA-PS, with letter In a letter to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, the head of the SYRIZA-PS delegation to the European Parliament Kostas Arvanitis, in light of the upcoming tragic 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus on July 20.
Kostas Arvanitis called on the President of the European Parliament to officially condemn the Turkish invasion, express solidarity with the Cypriot people, and reiterate Europe’s support for the reunification of Cyprus from the floor of the plenary session to be held in Strasbourg next week.
In addition, he called for the Cypriot flag to be flown at all European Parliament buildings on the anniversary, as a sign of solidarity with the Cypriot people.
The head of the SYRIZA-PS Eurogroup stressed that «The Cyprus issue is, first and foremost, an international issue of invasion and occupation"» and, in light of this tragic anniversary, he recalled that the only viable solution to heal the wounds of the Cypriot people is the reunification of the island through a just, comprehensive, and sustainable solution based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation with a single international legal status.
The Cyprus issue is a European issue. And Europe’s solidarity with the Cypriot people is imperative.
The letter in Greek:
Honorable President of the European Parliament,
July 20, 2024, marks the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus, an act that constitutes a grave violation of international law, including the United Nations Charter.
The illegal Turkish invasion of 1974 resulted in 36% of Cypriot territory coming under de facto Turkish control. During the ethnic cleansing, a large portion of the population was raped and killed, 200,000 Greek Cypriots were forced to flee south, abandon their homes, and become refugees; to this day, many are still considered missing, while a significant number of Greek Cypriots remain trapped in the occupied territories to this day.
Turkey is violating and completely disregarding the relevant UN Security Council resolutions on the resolution of the Cyprus issue and insists on a two-state solution, which has been overwhelmingly condemned by the international community. The only viable solution to heal the wounds of the Cypriot people is the reunification of the island through dialogue and diplomacy based on international law. We firmly believe that the Cyprus issue is, first and foremost, an international issue of invasion and occupation.
In light of the upcoming tragic anniversary, as head of the SYRIZA-PS delegation to the European Parliament, I would like to ask you to officially condemn the Turkish invasion, express your solidarity with the Cypriot people, and reaffirm Europe’s support for the reunification of Cyprus through a just, comprehensive, and sustainable solution based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation with a single international legal status, during the upcoming plenary session in Strasbourg. Furthermore, I would like to request that the Cypriot flag be raised on all European Parliament buildings on the anniversary, as a sign of solidarity with the Cypriot people.
Sincerely,
Kostas Arvanitis, Member of the European Parliament, The Left
Head of the SYRIZA-PS Delegation to the European Parliament
