Turkey: Renew Europe calls on the EU to formally suspend accession negotiations, if Ankara doesn’t urgently change course
Author: Lucian Goleanu
Date:
The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament strongly condemns the Turkish Government’s decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, bringing Turkey further away from EU and international standards.
The annual report on Turkey, today approved by the MEPs, reiterates the backsliding in three main areas: the deterioration in the rule of law and fundamental rights, the institutional framework and related reforms, and a foreign policy that is increasingly conflictual and inclined to military options instead of dialogue and diplomacy.
The report also denounces the illegal actions against EU Member States and the aggressive anti EU narrative, but it encourages the EU to continue strengthening its relations with the vibrant Turkish civil society and support pro-democracy efforts.
MEP Hilde Vautmans (Open Vld, Belgium), Renew Europe’s coordinator in Foreign Affairs Committee and shadow rapporteur on Turkey, said:
"It is time for the EU to stop playing Erdogan's game and to stand firm on its principles. The backsliding on democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights has continued and adding to that the current Turkish government has pursued a more confrontational and hostile foreign policy over the past two years. As Turkey is moving further away from its European path, I just don't see how we can proceed with the accession negotiations. If Turkey does not urgently change course, the Commission must formally suspend accession negotiations."
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