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80TH MEETING OF THE EU-TÜRKIYE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE - STATEMENT BY THE CO-CHAIRS

Ankara, 20 December 2023

The EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) held its 80th meeting in Ankara in the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (GNAT) on 19-20 December 2023 under the co-chairmanship of Mr İsmail Emrah KARAYEL (AK Party, GNAT) and Mr Sergey LAGODINSKY (Greens/EFA, European Parliament).

The Co-Chairs emphasized the importance of strengthening the dialogue between Türkiye and the EU in all fields and expressed their appreciation of the resumption of JPC meetings on a regular basis.

At the meeting, the Committee held an exchange of views with H.E. Ambassador Mehmet Kemal BOZAY, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director for EU Affairs, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Türkiye, Mr Marko MAKOVEC, Deputy Managing Director/Director Europe, on behalf of the European Commission and the EEAS, Mr Luis ROMERA PINTOR, Consul of the Spanish Embassy in Ankara, on behalf of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU, as well as other distinguished representatives of the Turkish Government and EU institutions.

The EU-Türkiye JPC comprehensively discussed Türkiye-EU relations and exchanged views on current regional and global developments and challenges.

The Co-Chairs underlined the importance of deeper cooperation between the EU and Türkiye with a view to future EU membership of Türkiye. They reaffirmed the need to find common solutions to common challenges, with a particular focus on rule of law and democracy, economy, security and defence, as well as energy and food security, notably in the context of Russia´s aggression against Ukraine. The Co-Chairs also called for the start of a process that should lead to a just and lasting peace based on a two-state solution between Palestine and Israel and an immediate end to the hostilities and civilian casualties on both sides.

Against this background, the Co-Chairs reiterated that the JPC will keep working for an enhanced and constructive dialogue to strengthen relations between the EU and candidate country Türkiye. They also encourage the Government of Türkiye as well as EU institutions to further engage in active dialogue, including an initiative for a high-level diplomatic exchange in Brussels.

The Co-Chairs emphasized that they will strive to enhance the parliamentary dimension of EU-Türkiye relations by holding the JPC meetings on a more regular basis.

JOINT STATEMENT BY D-TR CHAIR MEP SERGEY LAGODINSKY AND EP RAPPORTEUR ON TÜRKIYE MEP NACHO SÁNCHEZ AMOR

JOINT STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR OF THE DELEGATION TO THE EU-TÜRKIYE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE (JPC), MEP SERGEY LAGODINSKY, AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT STANDING RAPPORTEUR ON TÜRKIYE, MEP NACHO SÁNCHEZ AMOR

Brussels, 15 May 2023

"Yesterday Türkiye held presidential and parliamentary elections that will define the future of the country and its relations with the EU.

We acknowledge the peaceful manner in which the Turkish people conducted this process and applaud the high turnout. These are the proof of the citizens' strong democratic will. We regret however that, as reflected by the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission in its statement on preliminary findings and conclusions, the elections did not take place on a level playing field. Essential freedoms, such as the freedom of expression or association, continue to be heavily hindered by the current legal framework and practice.

We express our hope that the next stages of the election process will take place peacefully and in a democratic manner, and that the authorities will take measures to align the elections with Türkiye's international commitments."

STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR OF THE DELEGATION TO THE EU-TÜRKIYE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE (JPC) MEP SERGEY LAGODINSKY

Brussels, 8 May 2023

"Sunday's violent incidents, including the ruthless assault on a vehicle used by the Green Left Party (YSL) in Mersin and the brutal attack against the Nation Alliance's Vice-Presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu in Erzurum are outright attacks on democracy. My thoughts are with those who got injured. My solidarity is with Turkish people whose democratic right to vote is threatened by such attacks. The upcoming elections in Türkiye are of crucial importance for the country, the region and the EU, and their fairness will be an indicator for the Turkish democracy's chances of survival and state of resilience. I strongly condemn these acts of violence and all other attempts to disrupt, obstruct or otherwise influence the upcoming elections. I call on the authorities to do whatever it takes to guarantee both the safety of the elections and a level playing field for all political competitors."

JOINT STATEMENT OF THE CO-CHAIRS OF EU-TÜRKIYE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE

The 80th meeting of EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), which was scheduled on 21-22 February 2023 in Ankara, has been postponed to the earliest convenience due to the devastating series of earthquakes that occurred in Türkiye on 6 February 2023.

The two earthquakes and aftershocks have directly affected 10 provinces with a population of 13.5 million in Türkiye as well as northern parts of Syria.

As the Co-Chairs of the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee, we are deeply saddened by the loss of lives that has hit, so far, almost 30.000 and by the terrible devastation and suffering of those who have been injured or lost their loved ones. We express our deepest condolences to the victims and their families. We wish a speedy recovery to the injured ones. We strongly praise those who have bravely taken part in search and rescue works by disregarding threats to their own lives.

We are at the same time grateful to EU Member States, institutions and officials for their solidarity as well as swift and generous assistance in the very aftermath of the disaster. Following the request of Türkiye for the activation of EU Civil Protection Mechanism, Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) and European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) have displayed vivid example of solidarity and partnership. In addition, the timely activation of the EU's Copernicus satellite system has been lifesaving in providing emergency mapping services.

Once again, our thoughts remain with the people of Türkiye and Syria at this difficult and challenging time. We wish to hold the 80th meeting of the JPC at a date of the earliest convenience for both sides.


İsmail Emrah Karayel Sergey Lagodinsky

Disastrous earthquake in Türkiye: Statement by the Chair of the EP Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee Sergey Lagodinsky

Brussels, 6 February 2023

Reading the news about the disastrous earthquake and aftershocks in southern Türkiye fills me with grief. I am shocked to see the images of widespread destruction, read about those who lost their lives, grieving relatives and destroyed families.

I would like to express my deep sympathy with everyone in Türkiye and the entire region affected by the earthquake, send condolences to those who lost their loved ones, and wish a speedy and full recovery to the injured.

As I am writing these lines, EU and many of its member states are already deploying humanitarian assistance and technical rescue equipment. I am pleased to see that the EU stands by the Turkish people in this critical moment. Let us work together to overcome the effects of this disaster by coordinated rescue efforts.

Joint Statement of the Chair and the Rapporteur on the Türkiye's Claw Sword operation

Leading MEPs are worried about possible escalation of violence after Türkiye has launched a military operation in Syria and Iraq.

Parliament's Standing Rapporteur for Türkiye Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D, ES) and Chair of the EP Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/EFA, DE) issued the following statement following the launch of operation 'Claw Sword' by the Turkish military.

"The recent military operation in Northern Syria and Iraq has caused us great concern. While we acknowledge Türkiye's right of self-defence, we urge utmost caution as well as unambiguous respect for international law and human rights. We join European Parliament President Metsola and many others in their call on the Turkish authorities to exercise restraint in full respect of international standards. The civilian population should never be the victim of military self-defence. Use of force must always be duly justified, proportionate and within the boundaries of international law"

"We are genuinely concerned about a possible escalation of violence and the risk of increased instability both in the region and within Türkiye. Furthermore, we are worried about the possible surge in an already highly nationalistic narrative - widely shared across the political spectrum in the country - particularly ahead of the upcoming elections, which are due next year."


For further information contact:

Office of Mr Nacho Sánchez Amor, tel. +32 2 284 58 62, e-mail: nacho.sanchezamor@europarl.europa.eu

Office of Mr Sergey Lagodinsky, tel. +32 2 284 59 12, e-mail: sergey.lagodinsky@europarl.europa.eu

Joint statement of the Chair and Rapporteur on the adoption of the ‘disinformation law’ by the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye

Parliament Standing Rapporteur for Türkiye Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D, ES) and Chair of the EU-Türkiye Parliamentary Delegation Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/EFA, DE) issued the following statement following the adoption of the so-called 'disinformation law'.

"Last night, the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye adopted the 'draft law on the amendment of the press law and some laws', otherwise known as the 'disinformation law'. Following persecutions of independent print media, this law imposes more restrictions on online news sites and social media platforms. We are concerned about the introduction of severe prison sentences and other sanctions for alleged spreading of 'disinformation'. We find it particularly worrisome that the law uses distinctly vague wording and non-defined concepts such as 'disinformation' or 'public order', which leaves the door open for arbitrary prosecutions.

"We are also concerned about the timing of this legislation. With upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in Türkiye, we see substantial potential to further silence dissenting voices and increase self-censorship.

"We fully share the criticism of international civil society and international bodies that such interference with the freedom of expression is neither necessary nor proportionate to further the legitimate goals of public order, national security or public health."

Statement by the D-TR Chair on the postponement of the 80th EU-Turkey JPC meeting, 21-09-2022

The Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/EFA, DE) issued the following statement on the postponement of the 80th EU-Turkey JPC meeting, initially scheduled to take place in Kayseri, Turkey, on 20-21 September 2022:


"This week, a bilateral meeting of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee was planned to take place in Kayseri Turkey, following the invitation by our Turkish partners. Unfortunately, last week, the Turkish colleagues informed us that the meeting would be postponed.

The postponement of the meeting at very short notice is disappointing to us. It is especially regretful since the meeting would have taken place at an important moment of European history, which can become an essential juncture in our bilateral relationship.

The delegation of the European Parliament would have been represented by a diverse and strong group of Members, including the Chair, a vice-Chair of the delegation and the Standing Rapporteur of the European Parliament on Turkey, with MEPs coming from five member states and representing five leading political groups.

Apart from the status of Turkey's EU accession process, the Joint Parliamentary Committee planned to discuss foreign policy issues, including security policy cooperation as well as questions of democracy and rule of law.

We hope that a formal bilateral meeting will be possible in the near future. In this regard, I am in touch with my Turkish counterpart co-Chair İsmail Emrah Karayel. In parallel, we will continue our dialogue with the civil society of Turkey. In fact, this dialogue never ceased, and even intensified during this week despite the cancellation of the Joint Parliamentary Committee meeting.

Finally, we emphasize the importance of our cooperative work as parliamentarians. The function of our work is essential and neither a substitute nor an appendix to the dialogue between the Turkish government and the European Commission or member states. The European Parliament is a political branch of the EU on an equal footing. Inter-parliamentary dialogue is an essential independent channel of communication between elected representatives of our citizens. This channel shall continue to operate in its independent and constructive mode."

Statement by the leading MEPs following the decision of a Turkish court to sentence rights activist Osman Kavala to life in prison, 25-04-2022

Parliament Standing Rapporteur for Turkey Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D, ES) and the Chair of the EU-Turkey Parliamentary Delegation Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/EFA, DE) issued the following statement on Monday.

"Turkey's judiciary has confirmed the worst of forecasts when convicting today Osman Kavala to aggravated life sentence on the account of allegedly attempting to overthrow the government. This regrettable decision by the Istanbul 13th Heavy Penal Court is in clear contempt to the rulings of the European Court on Human Rights and will surely bring about consequences in the infringement proceedings ongoing at the Council of Europe.

We express our full solidarity with Osman Kavala and the rest of the defendants in this "Gezi" trial -who also received heavy jail sentences- and with their families. Today is a very sad day not only for them but also for those who daily defend fundamental rights and the rule of law in Turkey and for all those who wish to see the country coming closer to the EU. This is obviously not the way to do it.

This decision reconfirms the authoritarian character of the current system and it clearly shows the lack of willingness to make any kind of real reforms in the field of fundamental rights and rule of law. In this view, there is little to none EU perspective for the current Turkey, which is sliding away from international consensus on a rule-based order while disrespecting its own international commitments.

The fact that one of the judges members of the tribunal was a candidate to the National Assembly for the ruling party is just another shocking example of how this case has been marred by political interference. The whole process for the last 4'5 years has been a succession of judicial manoeuvres in utter disregard of fair trial standards."


Statement of the Chair and Rapporteur on the Kavala trial: last chance for justice, 21-04-2022

Statement by the leading MEPs ahead of the final hearing in Istanbul of the Gezi trial and in particular the case of businessman Osman Kavala.

Parliament Standing Rapporteur for Turkey Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D, ES) and the Chair of the EU-Turkey Parliamentary Delegation Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/EFA, DE) issued the following statement ahead of the final hearing in Istanbul of the Gezi trial and in particular the case of businessman Osman Kavala, taking place on Friday, 22 April.

"Osman Kavala has spent 1.633 days of his life in prison. His continued imprisonment has been declared unlawful by the European Court of Human Rights (EctHR). Turkish courts and authorities have still the chance to put an end to this ordeal. This is not a matter of conceding to an external request, this is about Turkey respecting rule of law and its own legal system, as derived from its international commitments and enshrined in its own Constitution. The rulings of the EctHR ordering his immediate release are legally binding. By ignoring them, Turkey is now facing infringement proceedings that would further damage Turkey's international reputation.

To consolidate the recent EU-Turkey rapprochement, we need clear actions in the field of fundamental rights and rule of law, including an immediate release of Osman Kavala, in order to put back on track Turkey's EU accession process."

Background

The Foreign Affairs Committee Standing Rapporteur for Turkey Nacho Sanchez Amor will be in Istanbul on 22 April to attend Mr Kavala's trial as a sign of solidarity.