The Turkish foreign ministry in a statement late on Thursday sharply criticised plans for the creation of a memorial as approved by the European Parliament to the victims of rape during the 1974 invasion, claiming it “slandered” the Turkish armed forces.

“Through the 1974 Cyprus peace operation, the Turkish armed forces prevented the extermination of the Turkish Cypriot people and brought peace to the entire Island, which has prevailed for over half a century,” the Turkish foreign ministry said.

It accused the EU of “further undermining trust between two peoples” and siding with Greek Cypriots, saying the bloc had become a “tool” for Greek Cypriot “propaganda”.

“We call on EU officials not to become an instrument of those seeking to distance Turkiye from the EU with every step they take,” the ministry concluded.

The European Parliament’s committee on women’s rights (FEMM) on Tuesday approved an amendment calling for European Commission funding for a monument commemorating rape victims of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974.

The amendment was submitted by Disy MEP Loukas Fourlas in his capacity as the European People’s Party (EEP) shadow rapporteur for the FEMM budget.