Members of the European parliament late on Wednesday night condemned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent visit to the north, with one describing him as “a neo-Ottoman tyrant and an expansionist”.

The parliament held a special debate over Erdogan’s visit to the north following the submission of a report on Turkey by MEP Nacho Sanchez Amor, of Spain’s PSEO, a member of Europe’s centre-left S&D group.

It was a member of his European group, Diko’s Costas Mavrides, who made the Ottoman reference.

“The new sultan of Ankara, during his recent illegal visit to the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus, repeated his repulsive demands, based on the so-called ‘realities’ of the occupation of EU territory and the gross violations of fundamental rights of EU citizens. This is in fact the mindset of a neo-Ottoman tyrant and an expansionist,” he said.

He then said that in Erdogan’s mind, “a thousand years of Hellenic civilisation, of Christianity, do not exist”.

“In his mindset, the Republic of Cyprus, a member of the EU, does not exist. The free will of today’s European citizens, Greeks, Turkish, Maronites, Armenians, Latins, does not exist. The charter of fundamental rights of the EU, the rule of law, does not exist. International law, the sovereign rights of Cyprus, do not exist.”

He also hailed the passing of Sanchez Amor’s report, saying it sent a “clear message” to Erdogan.

“Our realities are justice, democracy, and liberty. That is why this noble reality will prevail against neo-Ottoman evil,” he said.

Fellow Cypriot Loucas Fourlas, of Disy, which belongs to centre-right group the EPP, called on fellow MEPs and the wider European Union to not remain silent over Erdogan’s actions in Cyprus.

“As long as we remain silent, Erdogan will continue to do his thing, and every time he does something similar, and illegal, violating both international law and our principles and values, we will simply denounce it,” he said.

He added, “Cyprus is not some distant land, it is European territory” and said that “illegality on this European territory has been a wound in the heart of Europe for almost 51 years”.

Greece’s Afroditi Latinopoulou, leader of the Voice of Reason party, which belongs to the far-right Patriots for Europe group, was also scathing of Erdogan’s visit to Cyprus.

“Erdogan stepped onto the occupied territories as a brazen invader. He went onto the blood-stained soil, onto the ruins of the houses which his army had destroyed, and onto the graves of the Cypriots whom his ancestors murdered and disappeared,” she said.

“And what does the European Union do? Instead of disarming him as it should, it gives him money, gives him equipment.”

She went on to describe Turkey as “a murderous ethnostate” and described her fellow MEPs as “yiousoufakia of the sultan”. “Yiousoufaki” is a Greek word used to describe young boys who were at the service of high-ranking Ottomans.

Earlier, European Commissioner for Democracy Michael McGrath had told the parliament that the EU will “never accept” a two-state solution to the Cyprus problem, and stressed the need for “a sustainable solution to Cyprus, for both communities in Cyprus”.

The reports were approved by a margin of 367 to 74, with 188 abstentions, among which were five of Cyprus’ six MEPs. Only Fidias Panayiotou did not abstain, voting in favour of the report.