Greece Releases Classified Documents on 1974 Turkish Invasion of Cyprus"

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Greece’s state intelligence agency, EYP, has released a collection of archival documents for the first time in its history, shedding light on the events surrounding the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. This invasion followed a coup backed by the Greek military dictatorship that sought to overthrow Cypriot President Archbishop Makarios. The newly disclosed documents, covering the period from July to August 1974, offer fresh insights into how Greece’s intelligence agency operated and the challenges it faced during this critical time.

According to Evanthis Hatzivassiliou, a professor of postwar history at the National University of Athens, these documents reveal that EYP was not informed of the planned coup against Makarios. “The dictatorship informed only those it deemed absolutely necessary,” he explained. After the coup, however, EYP accurately reported on Turkish preparations for military action, though these warnings went unheeded by authorities in Athens.

The coup and subsequent Turkish invasion marked a turning point in Cyprus’s history, leading to the island’s ongoing division. Today, Cyprus remains split between the internationally recognized Greek-speaking Republic of Cyprus in the south and the self-declared Turkish Cypriot administration in the north. The political turmoil also led to the collapse of the Greek dictatorship in July 1974, as a second Turkish offensive followed weeks later in August.

EYP’s director-general, Themistoklis Demiris, announced plans to continue declassifying records from other significant, often challenging periods in Greek history. These releases, he said, are part of a broader effort to promote transparency and understanding of the complex issues that have shaped Greece and its relations with neighboring regions.