Strasbourg, 1 April 2025
Member of the European Parliament and Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) Željana Zovko delivered a speech on the crackdown on democracy in Türkiye and the arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu.
Zovko underlined that the EU needs to be clear about its stance towards Türkiye and must unequivocally express its concerns about a partner that is arresting political opponents, putting journalists in jail and silencing civil society.
She also stressed that the recent crackdown on democracy, including the arrest of the Mayor of Istanbul, failed to provoke strong responses from the EU while the EU does not hesitate to condemn other autocratic regimes.
Zovko pointed out that the EU applies a double standard when it comes to condemning those who oppress free voices.
She highlighted that Türkiye continues to play a significant role by hosting refugees and providing military support in regions where the EU lacks sufficient forces. However, Zovko stressed the risk to be blackmailed by a NATO member that uses the weaponization of migrants and its ambiguous role in Syria as leverages.
“Turkish society needs the EU to protect freedom of expression and uphold aspirations for democracy”.
The EU’s approach to Turkey must stop being hypocritical and must align with the way it addresses other autocratic regimes.