The Türkiye categorically rejects the “unfounded” allegations and “unjustified” criticisms made in the latest EU annual report on enlargement, in particular those contained in the sections relating to political criteria, the judicial system and fundamental rights, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
“Although the 2023 Türkiye Report is the 25th report prepared by the Commission regarding our country, the fact that the EU continues its unfair and biased approach towards our country is a source of concern for the future of our continent, which is currently facing many challenges”, indicates a press release from the ministry.
Given the blocking of high-level dialogue and cooperation mechanisms with Türkiye on foreign policy, regional developments, security, defense and sectoral issues, it is completely inconsistent to assert that Türkiye does not respect more EU policies in these crucial areas, Turkish diplomacy said.
“We perceive as praise the assessment presented in the text, which criticizes our country’s position on the Hamas-Israel conflict as being completely incompatible with the EU,” the ministry said.
“Faced with a massacre of civilians, which has resurfaced in the 21st century since the Middle Ages, we consider it necessary to remind the EU, which finds itself on the wrong side of history, that policies based on universal values, “international law and humanitarian principles should not apply only to Ukraine or any other region of Europe, but also to the whole world, including the Middle East”, it is added in the communicated.
The European Commission published its annual report on Türkiye, an EU candidate country, on Wednesday as part of its 2023 Enlargement package.
Oliver Varhelyi, the European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy, announced the package, which includes the European Commission’s latest assessments on Türkiye and six other candidate countries for EU membership.
The report repeated criticisms leveled at the Türkiye in previous reports on issues such as democracy, fundamental rights and the justice system, criticisms deemed unacceptable by Turkish officials.
This article is originally published on aa.com.tr
