Inclusion of Grey Wolves on EU terrorist list

10.11.2020

Question for written answer  E-006101/2020
to the Council
Rule 138
Marco Zanni (ID), Anna Bonfrisco (ID), Paolo Borchia (ID), Susanna Ceccardi (ID)

The Grey Wolves organisation is regarded as the armed wing of the MHP (Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party) and during the 1970s and 1980s it committed acts of violence on the streets of Turkey, when its members often clashed with political opponents.

For decades, the Grey Wolves have become established in several European countries (Austria, France, Germany, etc.), creating networks of thousands of people and developing a strong influence in the various Turkish communities across Europe.

In recent weeks, following the escalation of the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, we have witnessed numerous demonstrations by Turkish communities in various European cities. According to a newspaper report, the Grey Wolves were the organisers of a proper ‘Hunt For Armenians’ march in the French city of Lyon.

This organisation has links with the Turkish far right and radical Islam and some of its members have engaged in destabilising measures and sedition on European soil. Moreover, it is already banned to varying extents by some Member States.

In the light of this, can the Council of the European Union say whether – when the next six-monthly review of the EU terrorist list is discussed – it will consider including the Grey Wolves organisation on that list?