The European Parliament’s Turkey rapporteur, Nacho Sanchez Amor, has noted that the European Union (EU) has grown less vocal about human rights abuses in Turkey, largely because Ankara is no longer regarded as a candidate for membership. Despite Turkey still holding the formal status of a candidate, its actions have pushed it further from the EU accession process, leading European decision-makers to shy away from discussing its membership aspirations.
Amor, who has aptly represented Turkey’s interests for five years, highlighted the disconcerting reality of judicial crackdowns, political arrests, and a suppression of free expression under President Erdogan’s rule. With Turkey distancing itself from EU values and democratic reforms, he pointed out that the EU has become complacent, favouring a geopolitical give-and-take approach over serious accession negotiations.
He expressed his alarm over a troubling incident where high school girls were interrogated by authorities about their academic projects—an illustration of Turkey’s escalation of state repression against free thought. “A young girl was questioned by police… This is completely crazy,” he exclaimed, framing such episodes as indicative of a broader authoritarian trend within the nation.
Amor further decried the systematic appointment of government trustees to displace elected mayors, especially in opposition-led areas. He stressed that many of these removals were executed without court rulings, flouting Turkey’s constitution. “The law they reference is unconstitutional… you cannot remove an elected mayor without a court decision,” he asserted.
The rapporteur also scrutinised the dubious legal grounds for the recent arrest of Esenyurt’s mayor, based on decade-old phone surveillance. He questioned the legality of such long-term recordings, remarking on the unsettling normalcy of these unresolved issues within Turkey’s current legal framework.
In light of heightened political arrests and the use of vague terrorism charges against dissenting figures, Amor opined that the government was crafting an environment where half the populace could potentially be deemed terrorists. Through this lens, the political climate in Turkey has become one where arrests are leveraged as bargaining chips in political exchanges.
When asked about Turkey’s status as a “secular, democratic state,” Amor bluntly replied, “No, Turkey no longer looks like a secular and democratic state.” He compared Turkey’s governance starkly to Russia’s, noting that democratic institutions have been effectively hollowed out, with a single leader consolidating power.
Brussels’ silence over Turkey’s human rights infractions signals a drastic shift; officially a candidate still, Turkey is now seen more as a third-party entity. This recalibration explains why EU officials, including Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, no longer emphasise democracy in discussions with Ankara, but rather tangible issues like migration.
Though it is easy to criticise the EU for Turkey’s stagnated accession, Amor insists the onus lies on Ankara itself. “This is Turkey’s own doing… Now they don’t need to say that anymore—because Turkey is already distancing itself,” he maintained. Ultimately, he rejected the notion that Turkey’s geopolitical relevance could circumvent the need for democratic reform, stating unequivocally, “Without democracy, there is no EU membership.”
Sanchez Amor claims that the EU’s criticism of Turkey’s human rights abuses has lessened as Ankara is no longer viewed as a viable candidate for membership. He stresses the country’s democratic decline, systemic appointments of government trustees over elected officials, and politicisation of arrests. Amor insists that Turkey’s governmental practices have distanced it from the EU, and blames Turkish leadership for abandoning democratic reforms essential for accession.
In summary, Nacho Sanchez Amor underscores that the EU’s diminished critique of Turkey’s human rights violations stems from a shift in perception towards Turkey’s EU candidacy. He articulates numerous concerns about democratic backsliding, authoritarian practices, and the erosion of civil liberties. Amor places the blame for this disintegration squarely on Turkey’s leadership, asserting that genuine democratic reforms are integral to any future EU integration.
Original Source: stockholmcf.org
