Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield (Verts/ALE). – Madam President, this is a very good report and a strong report and so it needs to be followed with strong actions. This report highlights that our approach so far has failed to seriously address the human rights crisis in Turkey that is becoming extremely dire alongside the erosion of democracy and the rule of law.
The Turkish authorities have constantly disregarded the rulings by the European Court of Human Rights. We were one month ago, less than one month ago, in this Parliament, discussing the concerns we have on the aggravated life sentence handed to Osman Kavala in 2022. The treatment of migrants at the border in the country is a disgrace for EU because we continue to subcontract how we deal with the situation. We still consider them as a real partner and we act as though we believe that there is a shared mutual respect for human rights, and there is not.
And also, discrimination and criminalisation of Kurds in Turkey is not met with enough scrutiny on our part and in general by international stakeholders. Generalised discrimination of minorities continues, while the European Commission continues to engage in high—level dialogues. Of course, it is a step in the right direction that the EU—Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee took place earlier this year. But this report shows that we urgently need a much more severe attitude that can no longer be based on mutual trust.
#eudebates the unique initiative aiming to promote debate, dialogue, knowledge, participation and communication among citizens. #Turkey #borders #Greece #Cyprus #Russia #LAW #Ukraine #Energy #inflation #Mediterranean #Erdoğan
Turkey: persistently further from EU values and standards
Without clear and significant progress on EU-related reforms, Parliament cannot envisage resuming accession negotiations with Turkey, warned MEPs on Tuesday.
In a report adopted on Tuesday by 448 votes in favour, 67 against and 107 abstentions, MEPs warn that in spite of Turkey’s repeated statements that it aims to become an EU member, over the past two years the country has consistently gone back on its commitments in relation to the accession process.
Parliament welcomes the recent slight improvement in overall EU-Turkey relations, in particular, the high-level dialogues. This enhanced cooperation has unfortunately coexisted alongside regular conflicts, as relations with neighbouring EU member states remain challenging, stress MEPs.
The report points to the continued deterioration of the human rights situation in Turkey. MEPs regret the sustained legal and administrative pressure on civil society and human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists. They call on the Commission to provide sufficient funding for pro-democracy efforts in Turkey.
Importance of close EU-Turkey cooperation in foreign and security policy
Welcoming Turkey’s willingness to act as a mediator in the Russian war against Ukraine, MEPs stress the vital importance of good EU-Turkey cooperation in foreign and security policy in the current challenging times and thank the country for its firm alignment with NATO and the EU.
The report commends Turkey’s efforts in continuing to host the largest refugee population in the world, and notes the sustained provision of EU funding for this purpose, which MEPs commit to maintain in the future. They also support the Commission’s proposal to start negotiations to update a mutually beneficial Customs Union, but warn that Parliament would only support a final agreement if necessary democratic conditions on human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect of international law and good neighbourly relations are met.
To sum-up, Parliament cannot at this stage justify modifying its position concerning the formal suspension of the accession negotiations with Turkey, which have effectively been at a standstill since 2018, MEPs say. By openly defying the binding rulings of the European Court of Human Rights in relation to the case of Osman Kavala and others, the current Turkish Government has deliberately demolished any aspirations of reopening the EU accession process at this time, they add.
Turkish objections to Sweden and Finland’s NATO applications
MEPs call on the Turkish government to handle Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership applications in good faith, to engage constructively in efforts to solve possible outstanding issues and to refrain from exerting any undue pressure in this process. In the current serious circumstances, it is important that all NATO allies act with foresight and swiftly ratify the accession protocols of the two countries, they stress.
