Turkey Alleges Double Standards Conducted by EU
Date
11/12/2023 2:44:21 AM
(MENAFN) Turkey has strongly criticized the European Commission's annual enlargement report, denouncing it as "unfair and biased." The European Union (EU) accused Ankara of regressing on Democratic standards while simultaneously recommending the initiation of membership talks with Ukraine. The Turkish Foreign Ministry, in response, labeled the report as "worrisome for the future of our continent" and expressed categorical rejection of what it deemed "unfounded claims and unjust criticisms."
Published on Wednesday, the European Union's annual review by its executive arm assessed whether Turkey had implemented necessary policy changes to align with the bloc's membership standards. However, the report stated that Ankara had made "no progress" on various fronts, including judicial, legal, and administrative reforms recommended in previous assessments.
The European Union's critique extended to concerns about the lack of objective and merit-based criteria for recruiting and promoting judges and prosecutors, which the report highlighted as a persistent issue. The commission also accused Turkey of "serious backsliding" on democratic standards and the rule of law.
Notably, the European Union took issue with Turkey's stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict, alleging that Turkish officials expressed "rhetoric in support [of] terrorist group Hamas" and failed to condemn the militant group's deadly attack on Israel last month.
In response to these accusations, the Turkish Foreign Ministry defended its position, stating that it would consider the criticisms as "praise." It asserted that Ankara maintained a "principled stance regarding the Hamas-Israel war" and accused the European Union Commission of hypocrisy, emphasizing what it perceived as a clear double standard in the approach to different countries.
This diplomatic spat adds to the complex relationship between Turkey and the European Union, raising questions about the future trajectory of Turkey's aspirations for European Union membership and the dynamics of the European Union's engagement with its neighboring countries.
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