Turkey stresses that European Parliament MPs’ vote is non-binding

ANKARA

Ankara has stressed the non-binding nature of the vote due to be held at the European Parliament on the future of Turkey’s accession talks with the European Union, citing EU Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini’s urging that a negative result would have serious consequences in ties with Ankara. 

“The European Parliament has no legal authority to terminate accession talks with Turkey. The vote would result in an advisory decision to end negotiations but it would not be legally binding,” diplomatic sources in Ankara told the Hürriyet Daily News on Nov. 23. 

The vote at the European Parliament in Strasbourg will take place on Nov. 24. 

Sources stressed that decisions on commencing and ending full membership negotiations are given by European Council decisions, which require the unanimity of all member countries. Turkey began full membership talks in 2005 but has only been able to open 16 chapters out of 35 until now. 

Although the vote is non-binding, Mogherini’s address to European lawmakers on Nov. 22 noted that a decision to suspend talks will have “consequences.” Describing the measures that Turkey has taken in the aftermath of the July 15 coup attempt as “legitimate,” she warned that freezing talks would not yield positive results for either side and could drag Turkey-EU ties into lose-lose cycle.