Connect with us

EU

#ALDE: 'Erdoğan deepens the gap between #Turkey and EU'

SHARE:

Published

on

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. You can unsubscribe at any time.

16092013122156-receptayyiperdogan3The ALDE Group in the European Parliament is very worried about the latest developments in Turkey following the detention of 2 leaders of the HDP Party together with other Members of the Turkish Parliament. 

Commenting on this attack against democracy and rule of law in Turkey, ALDE Group leader, Guy Verhofstadt, said: "The Turkish government’s crackdown on its opponents escalated last night as the two joint leaders of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party were detained along with at least 10 MPs, due to their unwillingness to give testimony for crimes linked to “terrorist propaganda”. Erdoğan abuses power, hiding behind the state of emergency imposed following the coup attempt in July, to hunt down his political enemies.” According to Verhofstadt, The European Union should freeze Turkey's EU accession process if this measure comes into force and Turkey’s membership of the Council of Europe must be suspended. "Erdoğan is using the possibility of the death penalty to gain the support of the Nationalist Movement Party for the impending referendum on constitutional changes, to establish a presidential system. He is ready to sabotage Turkey’s future just to fulfil his own political goals."

ALDE MEP Alexander Lambsdorff (FDP, Germany), Vice-President of the European Parliament for Human Rights and Democracy, and ALDE shadow rapporteur on Turkey, added: “We have witnessed a series of targeted measures against Kurds, Kurdish media, local politicians and parliamentarians. This will add fuel to an unstable and unpredictable situation in the south-east of Turkey. Erdoğan should know that repression creates no security for the people of Turkey. On the contrary, repression will lead to more violence and insecurity. Therefore, we need to end the accession process. It is simply unacceptable to open new chapters when, at the same time, democracy is under serious attack every day. As liberals, we will continue to stand with civil society, helping democratic forces in Turkey to pursue their important work.”

ALDE MEP, Marietje Schaake (D66, The Netherlands) said business as usual with Turkey can no longer be possible: "EU leaders, including VP/HR Mogherini and Commissioner Hahn need to realize that the time for  'expressing concern' and 'following' the situation in Turkey is over. The toxic and murky refugee deal between Turkey and the EU allows Turkey to keep the EU's foreign policy in a deadlock. Our principles can no longer be brushed aside. It is time to stop making the EU's foreign policy an instrument to manage migration only. The EU should again prioritise it's principles such as respect for the rule of law and human rights."  

Share this article:

EU Reporter publishes articles from a variety of outside sources which express a wide range of viewpoints. The positions taken in these articles are not necessarily those of EU Reporter.

Trending