Review of partnership between EU Member States and Turkey

21.3.2017

Question for written answer P-001883-17
to the Council
Rule 130
Jussi Halla-aho (ECR)

Substantial purges have been conducted in Turkey since the military coup attempt. This has been made possible by the state of emergency declared by President Erdogan, which remains in force. More than 100 000 people, including police officers, teachers and judges, have lost their jobs in the purges. The Erdogan regime has also closed down various TV and radio stations and newspapers. Thousands of people have also been remanded in custody for an indefinite period, mostly on questionable grounds.

In April, a referendum is to be held in Turkey on a proposal to amend the Constitution, which would concentrate virtually all power in the hands of the President. Ministers in the Turkish Government have sought to extend the referendum campaign beyond the country’s borders, inter alia, to the Netherlands and Germany, where there are large Turkish minorities. Those EU Member States have adopted a cautious attitude towards Turkish political campaigning within their territory, to which Turkey has responded by accusing Germany and the Netherlands of being fascist states and threatening them with sanctions.

The EU States cannot remain inactive in the face of Turkey’s Islamic autocratic development and diplomatic threats. Turkey’s negotiations on accession to the EU, which are based on unrealistic expectations and have in practice already failed, should be halted.

The agreement between the EU and Turkey on refugees should also be terminated, as Turkey is not a credible negotiating partner and the country has repeatedly blackmailed the EU by subverting the agreement. In addition, the EU Member States should demonstrate their solidarity with the Netherlands by freezing their high-level diplomatic relations with Turkey until Turkey has ceased to put diplomatic pressure on the Netherlands.

Will the Council review the partnership between the EU Member States and Turkey by halting the EU accession negotiations with Turkey, terminating the EU-Turkey agreement on refugees and placing high-level diplomatic relations with Turkey on ice.