Under current circumstances, despite the democratic and pro-European aspirations of a large part of Turkish society, Türkiye’s EU accession process cannot resume, MEPs say in a report adopted on Wednesday with 367 votes in favour, 74 against and 188 abstentions.
The Turkish government has failed to address fundamental democratic shortcomings, the report says, pointing to the increasing shift within the EU towards “a different framework for the relationship, which might come at the expense of the accession process”. Parliament urges the Turkish government, the EU institutions and EU member states to continue working towards a closer, more dynamic and strategic partnership with particular emphasis on climate action, energy security, counter-terrorism cooperation, and regional stability.
EU membership criteria are not up for negotiation
MEPs are deeply concerned by the continued deterioration of democratic standards in Türkiye and by the relentless suppression of critical voices. They condemn the harsh crackdown on the recent peaceful mass protests and the prosecution of hundreds of protesters through hasty mass trials lacking any evidence of criminal wrongdoing.. MEPs also consider the attacks against Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu are a politically motivated move aimed at preventing a legitimate challenger from standing in the upcoming elections. With these actions the current Turkish authorities are pushing the country further towards a fully authoritarian model.
EU membership is contingent on fulfilling specific accession criteria, such as stable institutions that guarantee democracy, the rule of law, human rights, respect for and the protection of minorities, good neighbourly relations, compliance with international law and alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy. These are absolute criteria, not matters subject to transactional strategic considerations or negotiations, the report says
MEPs also condemn the recent illegal visit of President Erdoğan to the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus and his “provocative statements” as a unilateral action and tantamount to a direct illegitimate intervention against the interests of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities.
They stress that the democratic and pro-European aspirations of the majority of Turkish society, particularly among Turkish youth, are a major reason for keeping Türkiye’s accession process alive, even if frozen.
Deeper cooperation in areas of mutual strategic interest
MEPs acknowledge Türkiye’s strategic and geopolitical importance, and its increasing presence and influence in areas critical for international security, such as the Black Sea region, Ukraine and the Middle East. Türkiye is a strategic partner and a NATO ally. It is also a country with which the EU has close relations in security, trade, economy and migration, MEPs add. Therefore, it is important to maintain a constructive dialogue and to deepen cooperation in areas of mutual strategic interest. However, democratic backsliding and non-alignment with EU common foreign and security policy are not conducive to significant progress being made in that regard, MEPs warn.
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The rapporteur, Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D, ES), said: “We are constantly hearing from Turkish authorities about their supposed commitment to EU membership and how important it is for us to revive this process due to security and geopolitics, but they have got it wrong. Membership is about democracy, and the further they push towards a full authoritarian model – as observed recently with Ekrem İmamoğlu’s arrest – the further they move away from EU membership.”
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