Maria Arena, au nom du groupe S&D. – Madame la Présidente, on l'a dit, mon collègue Nacho l'a dit, en matière de droits de l'homme, la situation en Turquie est catastrophique. Selon les rapports qui sont à notre disposition, plus de 87 journalistes sont en prison pour cause de terrorisme, pour simplement avoir fait leur travail. Plus d'un millier de personnes ont été arrêtées pour avoir publié des posts, pour diffamation, insulte ou encore propagande terroriste.

Des condamnations à perpétuité sans possibilité de recours, pour M. Osman Kavala. Des étudiants arrêtés pour avoir manifesté pour les droits des LGBT ou encore les féminicides, très nombreux aujourd'hui en Turquie. Des interdictions de partis à l'aube de l'organisation des élections, sans parler du rôle de la Turquie en Syrie, en Libye, à nos portes. Et encore le fait que la Turquie a attaqué une de nos collègues, Evin Incir, qui est ici, également pour de prétendus liens avec des organisations terroristes.

Oui, la Turquie a rompu avec les valeurs qui sont les valeurs démocratiques européennes. Vous avez parlé, Monsieur le Commissaire, du gel de l'adhésion de la Turquie. Bien sûr, mais il y a aussi d'autres instruments qui sont à nos portes. Aujourd'hui, nous avons à notre disposition l'Union douanière, qui est un outil économique avec la Turquie, dont la Turquie bénéficie. Et je pense que cette union douanière doit être revue également.

#eudebates the unique initiative aiming to promote debate, dialogue, knowledge, participation and communication among citizens. #Turkey #borders #Greece #Cyprus #Russia #LAW #Ukraine #Energy #inflation #Mediterranean #Erdoğan

Turkey: persistently further from EU values and standards

Without clear and significant progress on EU-related reforms, Parliament cannot envisage resuming accession negotiations with Turkey, warned MEPs on Tuesday.

In a report adopted on Tuesday by 448 votes in favour, 67 against and 107 abstentions, MEPs warn that in spite of Turkey’s repeated statements that it aims to become an EU member, over the past two years the country has consistently gone back on its commitments in relation to the accession process.

Parliament welcomes the recent slight improvement in overall EU-Turkey relations, in particular, the high-level dialogues. This enhanced cooperation has unfortunately coexisted alongside regular conflicts, as relations with neighbouring EU member states remain challenging, stress MEPs.

The report points to the continued deterioration of the human rights situation in Turkey. MEPs regret the sustained legal and administrative pressure on civil society and human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists. They call on the Commission to provide sufficient funding for pro-democracy efforts in Turkey.

Importance of close EU-Turkey cooperation in foreign and security policy

Welcoming Turkey’s willingness to act as a mediator in the Russian war against Ukraine, MEPs stress the vital importance of good EU-Turkey cooperation in foreign and security policy in the current challenging times and thank the country for its firm alignment with NATO and the EU.

The report commends Turkey’s efforts in continuing to host the largest refugee population in the world, and notes the sustained provision of EU funding for this purpose, which MEPs commit to maintain in the future. They also support the Commission’s proposal to start negotiations to update a mutually beneficial Customs Union, but warn that Parliament would only support a final agreement if necessary democratic conditions on human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect of international law and good neighbourly relations are met.

To sum-up, Parliament cannot at this stage justify modifying its position concerning the formal suspension of the accession negotiations with Turkey, which have effectively been at a standstill since 2018, MEPs say. By openly defying the binding rulings of the European Court of Human Rights in relation to the case of Osman Kavala and others, the current Turkish Government has deliberately demolished any aspirations of reopening the EU accession process at this time, they add.

Turkish objections to Sweden and Finland’s NATO applications

MEPs call on the Turkish government to handle Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership applications in good faith, to engage constructively in efforts to solve possible outstanding issues and to refrain from exerting any undue pressure in this process. In the current serious circumstances, it is important that all NATO allies act with foresight and swiftly ratify the accession protocols of the two countries, they stress.

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