Socialist group in European Parliament cites ‘three conditions’ for Turkey’s EU membership

ANKARA

AA photo

The Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament have cited “three conditions” for their continued support for Turkey’s membership of the EU, after the head of the group, Gianni Pitella, met with main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and CHP members in Ankara.

“Pitella and his party had been strongly supporting Turkey’s EU membership. But they have re-evaluated their position especially after the coup attempt, the state of emergency decree laws, the rise in the number of imprisoned journalists, and developments affecting the rule of law. They have now conditioned their support to certain developments,” CHP Deputy Chair Öztürk Yılmaz said after the meeting on May 11.

“One of the conditions is the demand that the president give up his authority to annul parliament. The second condition demands a restriction in the scope of the decree laws, on the ground that excessive usage of decree laws narrows the jurisdiction of parliament. Thirdly, they state that the death penalty should not be reinstated,” Yılmaz added.

“If these conditions are not met, they stated that they will cut their support for Turkey in the European Parliament,” he said.

Pittella is currently on a two-day mission to Ankara to express full solidarity and support for the Socialists and Democrats Group sister parties, the CHP and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).

He is also scheduled to hold a meeting with HDP group on May 11 before attending the trial of HDP chair Selahattin Demirtaş on May 12.