The European Union said Friday it had “serious concerns” about democratic standards in Turkey, warning that a crackdown on rights was further undermining Ankara’s long-stalled bid to join the bloc.
“Our concerns about democratic standards remain,” EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos told journalists in Edirne, northwestern Turkey.
“The latest developments affecting media freedom, the rights of LGBTIQ+ people and local democracy are widening the gap with Turkey’s objective of joining the EU.”
Kos also stressed the importance of cooperation with Ankara, citing recent drone attacks on ships in the Black Sea and the changing geopolitical conditions in Europe.
Rights groups have repeatedly accused Turkey of democratic backsliding, citing pressure on independent media, the prosecution of journalists and opposition politicians and growing restrictions on civil liberties.
Turkey’s LGBTQ community has also faced increasing pressure in recent years, with scores of people, including activists, recently detained.
Ankara says its policies are aimed at protecting family values and public order.
The European Commission’s annual enlargement report, due October 28, “will reflect our serious concerns in these areas,” Kos said.
“And I will also not shy away from stating the facts publicly and clearly.”
Turkey, a NATO member, opened EU accession negotiations in 2005, but the talks have been stalled for years over Brussels’ concerns about democratic backsliding, the rule of law and fundamental rights.
In August President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan dismissed EU accession as no longer a priority, although Ankara has not ruled out membership.
Kos said Brussels had a strong interest in developing ties with Turkey, whose strategic importance had increased amid changing geopolitical conditions.
“We have a strong interest in developing a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship with Turkey, that reflects the new realities in Europe … or [the] broader world today,” she said, describing that need as driven by “hard facts.”
She said recent drone attacks on ships in the Black Sea underscored the importance of cooperation. She also recalled, during a February visit to Ankara, having called for the EU to reassess its relationship with Turkey “with fresh eyes, exactly because of these new realities.”
Closer ties would also depend on Turkey’s relations with neighboring EU member states, which she called “essential” — a reference to Ankara’s often-strained relationship with Greece.
“Strengthening these good neighborly relations would help build trust between the EU and Turkey,” she said.
“This will determine to a large extent how far we will be able to go with a renewed focus on EU-Turkey relations.”
© Agence France-Presse
