With an eye on the efforts toward the reunification of Cyprus, the messages from the local political scene regarding the somber anniversary of July 20, 1974, and the 52 years of occupation, with the wounds of the brutal invasion still raw.

The political parties pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives defending their homeland, while condemning Turkey’s ongoing provocative actions.

At the same time, they are sending their own messages regarding a solution to the Cyprus problem.

DISY: Reaching a solution is our historic responsibility

“This somber anniversary serves as a reminder that the struggle for the liberation and reunification of Cyprus remains ongoing and urgent,” DISY states in a press release.

“We honor the heroes—both Cypriots and Greeks—who sacrificed themselves in defense of their homeland. Our thoughts are with the missing, the enclaved, and the refugees, who continue to suffer the consequences of the occupation.”

Pindarou emphasizes that “Achieving a just, sustainable, and workable solution that will reunite Cyprus under conditions of security and prosperity for all its lawful residents is our historic responsibility. With Greece’s support and by leveraging our status as a member state of the European Union, we must consistently continue our efforts to find a solution based on the agreed framework and European principles and values.”

The Democratic Rally reaffirms its commitment to national unity, harmony, and solidarity and condemns the ongoing occupation and division of our homeland. Our goal remains a free and reunified Cyprus, free of occupying forces, guarantees, or intervention rights, where all citizens will live in conditions of lasting security and prosperity.

READ ALSO: “Enough, yeter, enough”: The Presidency’s three-word message on the dark anniversary of the Turkish invasion

AKEL: Freedom and reunification are the best tribute to the heroes of 1974

On the occasion of the 52nd anniversary of the Turkish invasion, AKEL pays tribute to all the sons and daughters of our people who defended Cyprus during the Turkish invasion of 1974, as well as to the Greek soldiers who fought alongside the Cypriot people. Their sacrifice remains a timeless symbol of the struggle for freedom and reunification. At the same time, AKEL reiterates that it will continue to stand with and support our compatriots who bore the brunt of the 1974 tragedy: the victims, the relatives of the missing, the prisoners of war, the wounded and disabled veterans, the women who were raped, the refugees, and those trapped in the north.

“The invasion by the Turkish ‘Attila’ on July 20, 1974 —five days after the coup by the Athens junta and EOKA B—constituted the second phase of the NATO plan to partition Cyprus. Turkey’s goal was never to “restore constitutional order” or to “protect the Turkish Cypriots,” but rather to occupy and partition our homeland and our people. Attila, picking up the baton from the betrayal of July 15, invaded our island, sowing death, ruin, and destruction. In violation of every principle of international law, Turkey invaded Cyprus, slaughtering our people, leaving behind thousands of dead and missing, uprooting tens of thousands of Cypriots and committing mass atrocities and war crimes, including the rape of women, massacres of civilians, and the killing of prisoners of war. During the 52 years of occupation that followed, Ankara, through settlement, the illegal declaration of the pseudo-state, and its strategy of political and economic control over the Turkish Cypriot community as well as its cultural assimilation, is attempting to cement the division of the island and our people,” the party states in its announcement.

AKEL reiterates to all parties that it will never compromise either on the perpetuation of the current division or on Turkey’s unacceptable demands to legitimize this crime through a two-state solution states. The only realistic prospect for ending the occupation and partition has been and remains the resolution of the Cyprus problem through a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, as set forth in the relevant UN resolutions. The upcoming visit of the UN Secretary-General and his stated intention to take the initiative to resume talks lend momentum to efforts to restart the negotiation process for a solution to the Cyprus problem. To this end, AKEL reiterates that it is of critical importance to safeguard the entire negotiating acquis and the Guterres Framework, on the basis of which negotiations must resume from the point at which they were suspended in 2017 on the remaining issues.

The freedom and reunification of our homeland is the best tribute to the sacrifice of the heroes of 1974. It is also the only path to a future of peace and security for Cyprus and all Cypriots.

SEE ALSO: 52 Years of Mourning: The Psychological Consequences of the Turkish Invasion on the Cypriot People

ELAM: Fifty-two years after the atrocity, Turkey remains unpunished and the Cyprus problem remains unresolved

“On July 20, 1974, the barbaric Turkish invasion left an indelible mark on our homeland, plunging it into mourning. Our Cyprus suffered the murder of civilians, captivity, displacement, the rape of women and children, and a host of other war crimes. “Today, the Greek Cypriot community endures the consequences of the invasion and the ongoing illegal occupation of 37% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, deprived of fundamental human rights,” ELAM states in a press release

Fifty-two years after the atrocity, Turkey remains unpunished and the Cyprus problem remains unresolved, the party adds, noting at the same time that “instead of steps toward progress, current developments revolve around discussions based on the racist and anti-democratic DDO solution with political equality, and constant concessions to the illegal entity in the occupied territories.”

“As the National Popular Front (ELAM), we continue to stand against all those who intend to sell out our homeland through a Turkish-dictated solution that legitimizes the fait accompli of the invasion and paves the way for Turkish expansionism. We remain committed to the path of liberation, justice, and vindication. The Cyprus issue is not a bicommunal dispute, but a problem of invasion and ongoing illegal occupation. We will not allow the rights of the Greeks of Cyprus to be trampled upon. We do not forget; we do not compromise.”

DIKO: We do not consider the occupation to be the norm, nor do we view partition as inevitable

“Fifty-two years of ongoing Turkish occupation. Fifty-two years since that dark morning of July 20, 1974. Fifty-two years since the barbaric Turkish invasion, which followed the treacherous coup and left in its wake the dead, the missing, captives, refugees, and a homeland violently divided.”

In a statement, the Democratic Party condemns the Turkish invasion and the crimes of Attila and “at the same time pays the tribute due to those who defended the democracy, freedom, and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus.”

“We honor our fallen and missing, the prisoners of war and the victims, and the families who have lived and continue to live with loss and uncertainty. We honor the refugee community, which was forced to rebuild its lives from scratch, without ever giving up the right of return.
We keep the flame of historical truth burning brightly. Especially at a time when Turkey and its puppets in the occupied territories are engaging in provocative celebrations stained with the blood of our heroes. We will not allow the aggressor to be equated with the victim. We do not accept the distortion of history. We do not consider the occupation to be the norm, nor do we view partition as inevitable.”

The Democratic Party remains committed, as it emphasizes, to achieving a just, functional, and sustainable solution to the Cyprus problem. A solution that will ensure the transformation of the Republic of Cyprus into a functional, federal, and European state. A state liberated from Turkish occupation and free of foreign troops, anachronistic guarantees, and interventionist rights. A state that will continue to be a full member of the European Union and the Eurozone. A state that will serve as the common home of Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians, and Latins. To achieve this, we must forge our unity around the fundamental principles that bind us together.”

Turkey has never abandoned its true goal: complete control of Cyprus. That is why the Cypriot people must not abandon their own goal. And that goal is none other than liberation, concludes DIKO.

ALMA: We must not allow the occupation to become a permanent situation

Fifty-two years after the Turkish invasion, the occupation remains the greatest violation of international law in Europe. It is not only a historical injustice awaiting redress but a reality that is changing daily to the benefit of the occupying power, ALMA states in a press release.

Turkey, the Movement adds, is no longer content with maintaining what it seized in 1974. It is creating new facts on the ground, intensifying settlement, altering the demographic character of the occupied territories, entrenching their dependence on Ankara, and seeking the gradual political upgrading of the occupation regime. In recent years, Alma notes, its strategy has taken on an even clearer objective: to impose the “two-state” logic as a supposedly realistic basis for resolving the Cyprus issue and, ultimately, to legitimize the results of the invasion and occupation.

“Our responsibility is different. We must not allow the occupation to become a permanent situation with which we simply coexist. When the occupation becomes normalized, injustice ceases to be a source of motivation, and the status quo gains the power of time. The memory of July 20 is not limited to honoring the fallen, the missing, the refugees, and all those who experienced the tragic consequences of the invasion. It is a reminder that the Cyprus issue cannot be treated as an exercise in managing a deadlock, but as a matter of freedom, sovereignty, and democracy.”

According to the Movement, recent developments serve as a reminder that no process has value unless it serves a clear political purpose.

“Managing the impasse cannot become a substitute for a solution, nor can it serve as a pretext for entrenching the facts on the ground created by the occupation. The Republic of Cyprus must clearly reject any direct or indirect effort that results in the legitimization of the two-state solution and must steadfastly advocate for a solution that will end the occupation, ensure the unity of the state, the implementation of the European acquis, and full respect for human rights.

At the same time, the Republic of Cyprus must strengthen its international credibility on a daily basis. A state that operates with institutional integrity, transparency, and consistency has a stronger voice when it asserts its rights and demands that the international community respect international law. Occupation cannot become the norm. And the defense of the Republic of Cyprus is not merely a matter of history. It is a responsibility of the present.”

EDEK

“The solution of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation is a form of confederation that would allow Turkey to exercise political control over all of Cyprus,” EDEK states in a press release marking the 52nd anniversary of the Turkish invasion.

“The fifty-two years that have passed since July 20, 1974, cannot diminish the sorrow for our occupied homeland, nor can they quell the anger toward the traitors who left Cyprus defenseless, at the mercy of the Turks,” the statement reads.

EDEK emphasizes that “the restoration of international law, the withdrawal of the Turkish occupying army, and the abolition of the guarantees must be prioritized,” adding that “the developments expected with the UN Secretary-General’s visit to Cyprus must not be treated superficially or lightly.”