European Parliament Signals “Closed Door” for Turkey’s EU Bid Amid Rule-of-Law Concerns

MEPs pass of antiauthoritarian backsliding, telephone for compliance with planetary law, portion inactive stressing Turkey’s strategical value for EU information and determination stability.

A Political Message of Stagnation, Not Accession

The European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has approved a draught study stating that Turkey’s path toward EU rank remains efficaciously stalled, citing no meaningful advancement connected antiauthoritarian reforms, regularisation of law, media freedom, and judicial independence.

While the accession process has been frozen since 2018, lawmakers stress that Turkey remains a strategically important NATO partner, peculiarly successful narration to the Black Sea, Ukraine, the South Caucasus, and the Middle East.

Democracy and Rule of Law: “No Progress”

The study is sharply captious of Ankara’s home governance, highlighting:

• Continued concerns over judicial independence
• Restrictions on freedom of look and press
• Ongoing politically delicate prosecutions
• Weak safeguards for fundamental rights and section governance autonomy

MEPs besides impulse EU institutions and subordinate states to instrumentality a more assertive stance in defending antiauthoritarian standards successful Turkey.

Geopolitical Importance vs Political Freeze

Despite the governmental deadlock, the study acknowledges Turkey’s increasing geopolitical weight:

• Key histrion in Black Sea information architecture
• Influence in Ukraine struggle dynamics
• Strategic relation successful the South Caucasus and Middle East
• NATO state with important subject and logistical capabilities

Lawmakers telephone for continued engagement successful areas of communal interest, adjacent if afloat EU accession remains unrealistic nether existent conditions.

Turkey Cooperation: Conditional Expansion

The papers supports selective deepening of relations, including:

• Modernisation of the EU–Turkey Customs Union
• Expansion of high-level governmental dialogues
• Progress on visa liberalisation benchmarks
• Increased fiscal enactment for civil nine and exile assistance

However, each advances are explicitly tied to Turkey meeting Copenhagen criteria benchmarks.

Eastern Mediterranean Tensions and International Law

The study takes a steadfast stance connected determination disputes, calling connected Turkey to:

• Fully respect international instrumentality and the UN Convention connected the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
• Withdraw from oregon wantonness the Turkey–Libya maritime memorandum
• End practices seen arsenic violating Greek and Cypriot sovereignty
• Refrain from the “Blue Homeland” doctrine, which MEPs picture arsenic destabilising

It besides expresses enactment for Greek–Turkish dialog efforts, including high-level meetings aimed astatine de-escalation.

Cyprus: Reunification Framework Reaffirmed

On Cyprus, the EU Parliament reiterates its long-standing position:

• Support for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation nether UN auspices
• Demand for withdrawal of Turkish troops
• Condemnation of developments in Varosha
• Concerns implicit spot disputes involving Greek Cypriots

Cultural Heritage and Human Rights Concerns

The study raises further issues regarding:

• Protection of spiritual and taste practice sites specified as Hagia Sophia and Sumela Monastery
• Rights of number communities, including Greek Orthodox populations in Imbros and Tenedos
• Respect for rulings of the European Court of Human Rights
• Safeguarding the relation and ineligible presumption of the Ecumenical Patriarchate

A Divided but Strategic Relationship

Despite beardown criticism, the study avoids calling for a afloat rupture, alternatively framing Turkey as:A “geopolitical spouse whose practice remains essential, but whose EU way is presently blocked by antiauthoritarian regression.”

The study was adopted successful committee by 44 votes successful favor, 10 against, and 17 abstentions, and volition proceed to a plenary ballot successful the European Parliament.

The EU is efficaciously signaling a long-term frost connected Turkey’s accession prospects, portion simultaneously pushing for selective practice based connected information and migration priorities alternatively than governmental convergence.

Source: pagenews.gr

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