The European Parliament called to suspend talks with Turkey on EU membership
The European Parliament (EP) adopted a resolution calling on the EU and the European Commission to suspend the accession negotiations with Turkey until the Turkish authorities will not amend the constitutional reform.
This is stated in a press release by the organization on its plenary session in Strasbourg published on the website of the EP.
The document was supported by 477 deputies, 64 voted against, 97 abstained.
MEPs are concerned that Ankara is “retreat from the rule of law, human rights, freedom of speech and fight against corruption”. In addition, the report stresses that if the Turkish government will re-introduce the death penalty, it will lead to the suspension of the negotiations on the country’s accession to the EU.
In the resolution it is noted that, despite the policy of the Turkish authorities, Ankara is an important partner for the EU.
“The resolution also recognizes that good relations between the EU and Turkey is important, and supports constructive and open dialogue of key importance for the solution of common tasks, such as migration, security or terrorism,” the statement reads.
In April, President Recep tayp Erdogan said that Turkey is going to reconsider its position on the question of accession to the EU. He spoke about the intention to bring this issue to a General referendum, since, according to the Turkish President, “further waiting may be pointless”.
At the same time, Erdogan stressed that Ankara would not withdraw from negotiations with the EU, despite the fact that European leaders “keep Turkey at the door”.
Turkey is negotiating accession to the European Union since 2005. Brussels and Ankara signed an Association agreement in 1963. After a coup attempt in Turkey in 2016, the European Parliament adopted a resolution (a recommendatory nature) to suspend negotiations on the country’s membership in the EU. Thus, MEPs reacted to hard, in their opinion, actions of the Turkish politicians against supporters of regime change.
After the constitutional referendum held in Turkey on April 16, Erdogan said the possibility of the return of the death penalty in the country. However, it is the abolition of this type of punishment was one of the results of Ankara policy aimed at accession to the EU.