Turkish opposition repeats appeal to EU for thawing relations

ANKARA

CHP’s deputy chair and Istanbul deputy Umut Oran speaks at a conference. AA photo

A deputy leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has reiterated an earlier call by his party’s leader on the European Union not to block Turkey’s EU membership process, underlining that EU reforms would help the candidate country in “preventing authoritarian government actions.”

“The unjust, unlawful and unequal arbitrary government actions remind everybody that the Turkish-EU relations have a crucial importance for our nation except the AKP [the ruling Justice and Development Party] Government,” CHP’s deputy chair and Istanbul deputy Umut Oran said, in a written statement released June 24.

“With the EU-oriented reforms, we can change these unjust policies and establish the rule of law. We can achieve higher democratic standards and so we can prevent any arbitrary authoritarian government actions,” Oran said.

Last week, CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu wrote letters to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in support of opening a new chapter. He said that while he shared the two leaders’ concerns about the situation of democracy in Turkey, opening the negotiation chapters was necessary to address these concerns with a European perspective.

“To be a part of the European Union is a state policy for Turkey and Turkey has a right to be a full member of the Union. With the values of democracy, human rights and rule of law, the EU should open the necessary chapters in the negotiation process in order to support and keep Turkey on the road of full membership,” Oran said.

“Chapter 22 regarding the Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments should not be blockaded and Chapters 23 regarding Judiciary and Fundamental Rights and 24 regarding Justice, Freedom and Security should be opened in order to renew the Turkish-EU accession process. By opening these chapters for negotiation we can meet the demands of the people who want freedom and democracy. Blockading these chapters will only help the groups that want an authoritarian, undemocratic regime in our country.”