The European Parliament puts pressure on Turkey: it demands the withdrawal of troops from Cyprus and denounces the process of İmamoğlu.

The European Parliament is putting pressure on Turkey on two fronts: it demands the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Cyprus and accountability for the consequences of the 1974 invasion on Cypriot women and girls, while the PE rapporteur for Turkey warns that the trial of Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, shows increasing pressure on the opposition and the independence of the judiciary.

In short

The European Parliament condemns the ongoing illegal occupation of the Republic of Cyprus and calls for the withdrawal of Turkish troops.

MEPs demand reparations, support for survivors, and access to archives and military zones.

The resolution on Cypriot women and girls was adopted with 575 votes in favor, 33 against, and 43 abstentions.

Nacho Sánchez Amor, the PE rapporteur for Turkey, attended Ekrem İmamoğlu's trial as an observer.

The rapporteur calls on European leaders not to separate security cooperation with Turkey from the rule of law and democratic standards.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Wednesday regarding the impact of Turkey's 1974 invasion on Cypriot women and girls. The text condemns the ongoing illegal occupation of the Republic of Cyprus and calls for the withdrawal of Turkish troops, as well as the urgent resumption of UN-led reunification negotiations. The resolution was adopted with 575 votes in favor, 33 against, and 43 abstentions.

MEPs denounce the crimes committed by Turkish forces and their long-lasting effects on Cypriot women and girls: conflict-related sexual violence, forced displacement, family separation, trauma, stigmatization, and social and economic harm. The Parliament condemns the use of sexual violence as a weapon and demands recognition, accountability, reparations, and full support for survivors and their families.

The text calls for victim-centered services, including trauma counseling, psychosocial assistance, and intergenerational healing programs. The Parliament also calls for greater support from the European Union for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus.

MEPs say that funding is not sufficient if Turkey does not cooperate. They urge Ankara to lift all restrictions on military zones and archives and to fully cooperate with international authorities and the Republic of Cyprus in cases of conflict-related sexual violence, forced disappearances, and other serious violations of international law.

The resolution reaffirms that the solution for Cyprus must be a fair, comprehensive, viable, and democratic agreement based on a bi-communal and bi-zonal federation, with political equality, in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council. The Parliament demands full, equal, and meaningful participation of Cypriot women in all peace processes.

The Parliament also calls for effective reparations, including compensation for victims by Turkey. MEPs support the initiative to build a monument in Nicosia for women victims of sexual violence and demand formal recognition of the testimonies of victims.

Rapporteur Eleonora Meleti from the EPP group said after the vote that the Parliament respects its promise that the pain of women who survived the Turkish invasion and the collective trauma of the Cypriot people will no longer remain unheard or invisible.

"This resolution recognizes the suffering and resilience of survivors and reaffirms Europe's duty to support them, defend their rights, and ensure that these crimes are never forgotten," said Eleonora Meleti.

At the same time, the political pressure from the European Parliament on Ankara also appears in the İmamoğlu case. The European Parliament's rapporteur for Turkey, Nacho Sánchez Amor, attended the hearings in the trials against Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, considered the main political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

İmamoğlu leads Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, and is one of the most important figures of the Republican People's Party, CHP. The cases against him are being monitored by international observers as they can influence the internal political competition, the future of the opposition, and Turkey's relationship with European partners.

Sánchez Amor says that the trials against İmamoğlu are politically motivated and that his presence in the courtroom expresses the European Parliament's solidarity with the mayor of Istanbul and with those who defend democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental freedoms in Turkey. He also included in the same context what he describes as a judicial attack on the CHP.

The rapporteur rejected the idea that his presence at the hearings would be an interference in Turkey's internal affairs. He says that his participation is in line with his mandate as a rapporteur for a country that remains a candidate for EU membership, a status that Turkish authorities continue to invoke.

The timing of the trial amplifies the political message. The hearings take place during the NATO summit in Ankara, when Turkey is at the center of Euro-Atlantic security discussions. Sánchez Amor says that European leaders present in Ankara should not ignore what is happening in the Silivri court.

For the European Parliament, the two cases touch on the same political issue: Turkey is a NATO ally and an important partner for security, migration, and energy, but it also remains a candidate state for EU membership, and this status requires respect for the rule of law, judicial independence, fundamental rights, and international obligations.

The resolution on Cyprus addresses the historical and still unresolved consequences of the 1974 invasion. The İmamoğlu case concerns the current functioning of Turkish democracy and the remaining space for political opposition. Together, the two cases show that the European Parliament demands that the relationship with Ankara not be reduced to strategic cooperation and military security.

The Parliament links the Cyprus case to the broader protection of women against violence. The resolution welcomes the ratification of the Istanbul Convention by 22 EU member states and reiterates the call for legislation that establishes a definition of rape based on consent at the EU level. The text also calls for access for survivors to sexual and reproductive health services.

In the İmamoğlu case, the rapporteur's message is that the security partnership with Turkey cannot be separated from democratic standards. Sánchez Amor says that respect for the rule of law and judicial independence is essential for Turkey's credibility as a reliable partner, both now and in the future.

The European Parliament adopted the resolution on the impact of Turkey's 1974 invasion on Cypriot women and girls on Wednesday. At the same time, the PE rapporteur for Turkey, Nacho Sánchez Amor, attended as an observer at the hearings in the cases against Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu.

https://2eu.brussels/ro/stiri/parlamentul-european-pune-presiune-pe-turcia-cere-retragerea-trupelor-din-cipru-si-denunta-procesul-lui-imamoglu