Ankara disappointed over European Parliament resolution

ANKARA

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Turkey has expressed its disappointment over a resolution adopted by the European Parliament, arguing that it has “failed to comprehend developments during the Gezi Park events and afterwards.”

Ankara also voiced its regret that the European Parliament declined to refer to positive reforms it said it made in the fields of the judiciary and fundamental rights and freedoms.

“We saw with disappointment that the developments during the Gezi Park events and afterwards, as well as the work carried out to ensure the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary, have not been fully understood by the EU institutions and authorities,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement released late March 12.

It also underlined that the resolution showed how the European Parliament maintained “its biased approach on the Cyprus issue.”

 “Indeed, the understanding reflected in the resolution is a sign the European Parliament is unfortunately far from comprehending and supporting the vision that will lead to prevailing peace and cooperation in Cyprus and in the region, in an environment where the U.N. negotiation process has restarted with the efforts of the Turkish Cypriot side and the active support of Turkey and at a time when hopes and efforts towards settlement have intensified,” said the statement.

It added that Turkey “strives to maintain the reform process” by remaining committed to the Copenhagen criteria, in line with the expectations and wishes of the Turkish people.

“No one should doubt that the principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law are taken into account as the fundamental elements in making any new legislation,” the Foreign Ministry said.

For his part, Turkish Chief Negotiator and EU Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu also expressed his regret over “oversights” in the report. “We regret that a number of significant reforms carried out in the areas of judiciary and fundamental rights and freedoms have not been referred to in the resolution,” he said.

The amendments to the laws on the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) and the Internet, “which are parallel to the legislation in many EU member states, have been criticized even before their implementation, clearly shows the prejudiced approach to Turkey,” Çavuşoğlu added.

He particularly criticized the resolution for not addressing the recent “Fifth Judicial Reform Package.”

“It is vital that the EU supports this determination and opens the politically blocked chapters to negotiations in order for the process to proceed on track. As long as these chapters remain blocked, our people will continue to doubt the sincerity and impartiality of the criticism,” said Çavuşoğlu.