Secret documents about the Turkish invasion of Cyprus were declassified by the EYP

Declassified information sheets concerning the tragic events of July and August 1974 in Cyprus, which until now were secret classified documents, were released today by the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

In particular, in an effort to contribute to a better understanding of the developments and circumstances of the coup against Archbishop Makarios and the Turkish invasion, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the 50th anniversary of the Cyprus tragedy, released the 58 bulletins that compiled these two dramatic events. months, the competent officers of the KYP, as the service was then called.

“I informed the staff that there was a landing in Cyprus and they did not believe me”

As the EYP says: “It is essentially a diary of the developments of a traumatic period in the history of Hellenism, as recorded in the information base of the Service at the time, which is now available to historians, but also to anyone interested, for study, information extraction and drawing conclusions. And that even the simple reading of it, despite the time distance that has passed, in many places impresses but also evokes strong emotions”.

It is noted that this is the first time that the EYP has declassified its archival material, naturally applying the procedures provided for by relevant legislation. And according to its Commander, there is an intention to have corresponding initiatives that will give the opportunity to take into account the perspective of the Service with its characteristics at the time, in the study of even particularly sensitive periods of our history.

The specific documents are now available on the official website of the EYP, highlighting their historical value and importance, as they complete 50 years since the events.

Presenting this initiative with a special message, the Governor of the EYP, Mr. Themistoklis Demiris, emphasizes that the 50 years that have passed since then, “if they do not impose, they certainly allow you to look back on an exercise of national and non-service self-awareness.

“We thought the timing was right. As, the existing legal framework gives the Service the right to release, with a specific, detailed procedure, selected documents, provided that 50 years have passed since they were drawn up, and now, since the events in Cyprus, have passed exactly 50 years ago, we deemed it appropriate to contribute, with material that can be made public, to the public debate, about events that still strongly concern our society, in Greece and Cyprus, which, moreover, even today, are suffering the consequences of the then developments.”, typically referred to.

For his part, EKPA professor Mr. Evanthis Chatzivasiliou, in his own note in which he attempts a first assessment of the material, characterizes the material as crucial, emphasizing that, combined with the other available sources, it will contribute to the effort to build a comprehensive picture of those decisive events.

“Internationally, access to similar intelligence documents by citizens and researchers is not a given. Most countries in the world do not allow it. It is primarily services of Western countries – and not all – that release their documents (of course after a reasonable period of time defined by the relevant legislation), but even this is a very recent development. After all, the case of the British secret services is known, whose existence was not even officially confirmed until a few decades ago, which also maintained a legend (not always accurate, as it increased an exaggerated sense of awe), around their activities. From this point of view, the initiative of the EYP is an important step towards the adaptation, both of the Service itself and of the state in general, to these international trends, at least of the Western world. The material available is specific. These are the Information Bulletins about Cyprus and Turkey which were basically addressed to military services, which were thus kept informed on a daily basis about the political developments but also about the movements of the military forces of the neighbor and in geographical areas adjacent to Greece but also in general in the Turkish area as well as in Cyprus.” highlights indicatively.

See the declassified document dated July 1, 1974:

In detail all the Declassified Information Bulletins published by the EYP

The publication of the declassified newsletters concerning the tragic events of July and August 1974 in Cyprus by the EYP also coincides with the new major documentary series by Alexis Papachelas “Dark Decade 1964-1974”.

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