EU–Turkey tensions resurface: Brussels denounces democratic decline, Ankara decries European bias

Despite ongoing economical practice and dialog successful the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey’s EU accession process remains frozen.

Concerns implicit Democracy and Human Rights

The study points to an “alarming regression” successful Turkey’s antiauthoritarian standards, citing continued repression of governmental opponents and journalists, arsenic good arsenic transgression charges against elected officials and absorption figures.

It underscores the erosion of democracy and the country’s drift distant from the EU’s halfway values, which are expected to underpin EU–Turkey relations.

The papers makes circumstantial notation to the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a imaginable statesmanlike candidate, and different members of the Republican People’s Party (CHP). It besides mentions the revocation of İmamoğlu’s world degree, which efficaciously bars him from moving for president.

Greece–Turkey Relations: Progress and Persistent Tensions

The EU acknowledges improvements successful Greek–Turkish relations and affirmative developments successful dialog since the Athens Declaration of December 2023.
However, it stresses that disputes implicit the continental support and maritime zones stay a important obstacle.

According to the report, Turkey continues to situation Greece’s sovereign rights, issuing NAVTEX notices and objecting to Greek plans for marine parks. It besides notes ongoing violations of Greek airspace and territorial waters, which person reportedly accrued compared to erstwhile years.

The inclusion of the “Blue Homeland” (Mavi Vatan) doctrine successful Turkish schoolhouse curricula is described arsenic “a origin for concern.”

The Commission further highlights that Greece’s imaginable hold of its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles successful the Aegean continues to strain relations, reminding that Ankara inactive upholds its 1995 declaration labeling specified a determination arsenic casus belli (a origin for war).

It besides criticizes Turkey’s obstruction of probe activities linked to the “Great Sea Interconnector” (GSI) — a European task connecting Greece, Cyprus, and Israel — portion Ankara promotes its ain energy nexus with the unrecognized “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.”

Finally, the EU notes that no advancement has been made connected reopening the Halki Seminary, closed since 1971, and that UNESCO’s concerns implicit the conversion of Hagia Sophia and Chora Church into mosques stay unresolved.
Incidents of vandalism and hatred crimes against number places of worship besides persist.

The Cyprus Issue and Foreign Policy

On Cyprus, the EU calls connected Turkey to actively lend to a just and viable settlement, criticizing its refusal to admit the Republic of Cyprus oregon comply with UN resolutions.
Ankara’s continued insistence connected a two-state solution straight contradicts the positions of some the EU and the United Nations.

The study besides points retired that Turkey pursues an autarkic overseas policy, often diverging from the EU connected issues specified arsenic Russia and the Middle East.

Turkey’s Response: “Unfounded and Biased Claims”

Ankara’s absorption was swift and harsh. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed the EU study arsenic “unfounded, biased, and prejudiced.”
It accused Brussels of adopting “maximalist and unlawful Greek and Greek Cypriot positions”, questioning the EU’s credibility connected matters specified arsenic Cyprus and the continental shelf.

In its authoritative statement, Turkey argued that the study “ignores Ankara’s morganatic concerns” and is “inconsistent with efforts to physique a affirmative EU–Turkey agenda.”
It reaffirmed its strategic committedness to EU membership, contempt what it called “unfair governmental obstacles” successful the accession process.

Ankara besides emphasized its “constructive role” successful the Eastern Mediterranean and its recent diplomatic advancement with Greece, calling for the lifting of restrictive EU Council decisions adopted since 2019.