European Parliament rejects Turkey's request to resume EU accession talks

Turkey's EU accession process cannot be resumed under the current circumstances, despite the democratic and pro-European aspirations of a significant part of Turkish society, according to a report adopted by the European Parliament (EP) on Wednesday, Interfax reports.

367 MEPs voted in favour of approving the report, 74 voted against and 188 abstained.

"MEPs are deeply concerned about the continuing deterioration of democratic standards in Turkey and the relentless suppression of critical voices. They condemn the crackdown on recent peaceful mass protests and the prosecution of hundreds of protesters through hasty mass trials without any evidence of criminal wrongdoing," the EP said in a communiqué following the debate at the plenary session in Strasbourg.

According to the report, "the Turkish government has failed to address fundamental democratic shortcomings" that are necessary in the process of joining the European Union.

According to the document, the Turkish authorities are "pushing the country further towards a fully authoritarian model." The report says that EU membership is contingent on fulfilling certain accession criteria, such as "stable institutions that guarantee democracy, the rule of law, human rights, respect for and protection of minorities, good neighborly relations, respect for international law and compliance with the EU's common foreign and security policy."

These are absolute criteria, EU parliamentarians remind us. "The criteria for EU membership are not subject to discussion," the report emphasizes.

The European Parliament called on the Turkish authorities, EU institutions and member states to continue working towards "a closer, more dynamic and strategic partnership with a particular focus on action to combat climate change, energy security, cooperation in the fight against terrorism and regional stability."

In December 1999, the European Council recognized Turkey as a candidate country for EU membership. In October 2005, accession negotiations began. In 2018, the EU Council said that these negotiations were suspended. "The negotiations have effectively reached a deadlock," the council said in a document.