(AFP) — The European Union said on Friday it had “serious concerns” about democratic standards in Turkey, warning that a widening crackdown on rights was further undermining Ankara’s long-stalled bid to join the bloc. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos made the remarks in Edirne, in northwestern Turkey, and said those concerns would be reflected in the European Commission’s annual enlargement report due Oct. 28.
Turkey’s long-running accession process, which began with membership talks in 2005, has been effectively stalled for years. Speaking to journalists, Kos said the EU remained worried about the direction of democratic governance in Turkey.
“Our concerns about democratic standards remain,” Marta Kos said. “The latest developments affecting media freedom, the rights of LGBTIQ+ people and local democracy are widening the gap with Turkey’s objective of joining the EU.”
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Rights groups have repeatedly accused Turkey of backsliding on democratic rights, citing pressure on independent media, the prosecution of journalists and opposition politicians, and growing restrictions on civil liberties. The country’s LGBTQ community has also faced increasing pressure in recent years, and rights organisations say authorities have recently detained scores of people, including activists. Ankara rejects characterisations of repression, telling critics that its measures are aimed at protecting family values and public order.
Kos indicated that the forthcoming enlargement report, published by the European Commission, would set out the EU’s assessment of these issues. “The European Commission’s annual enlargement report, due out Oct. 28, will reflect our serious concerns in these areas,” she said, adding: “And I will also not shy away from stating the facts publicly and clearly.”
At the same time, Kos framed EU-Turkey relations within a shifting geopolitical context. She said Brussels has a strong interest in maintaining a cooperative relationship with Ankara because of strategic realities in and around Europe.
“We have a strong interest in developing a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship with Turkey, that reflects the new realities in Europe … or (the) broader world today,” Kos said, calling the need for cooperation a matter of “hard facts.” She pointed to recent attacks on shipping in the Black Sea — including drone strikes on vessels — as examples of why partnership matters.
Domestic politics in Turkey complicate the picture. In August, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described EU accession as no longer a priority, although Ankara has not formally closed the door on membership. Kos said any progress on closer ties would also depend on improving Turkey’s relations with neighbouring EU member states, notably Greece.
“Strengthening these good neighbourly relations would help build trust between the EU and Turkey,” Kos said, adding that such improvements would be decisive in determining how far the EU could go in renewing relations with Ankara.
The comments by Kos and the EU’s warning echo a longer-running debate in Brussels about how to balance strategic cooperation with concerns about rule of law, human rights and media freedom in a key NATO ally. AFP reported from Edirne.
