The participation rate in the European Parliament elections is always low. As a matter of fact, the electorate is right in that. The European Parliament is an institution that can hardly keep pace with the changes in the world. Most of the time, the European Parliament members make decisions as a result of heated debates, surprising citizens and deputies of national parliaments as the EU just nods in the face of the situation to keep up appearances. Turkey represents one of the most challenging subject matters for the EU, demanding it to change.
Numerous times, I have witnessed members of the EU who take a biased stance against Turkey criticize the country and its government without fact-checking and even criticizing events which are no longer occurring or have already passed. This bias has risen to such an extent that some politicians adamantly oppose Turkey without any justifiable means. Unfortunately, some of them go so far as to condone the actions of the PKK, a terrorist organization which seeks to establish a separate government in Turkey through violent means and has since been outlawed. The PKK imperils the vitality of the Turkish government and is a threat to democracy and all of humanity.
We hear from members of parliament that some EU members have personally advised the PKK, even suggesting about what retaliatory acts they could take against the Turkish government. EU members have met with PKK representatives in Brussels and served as "voluntary advisers," entering the hidden places where PKK terrorists take shelter in Iraqi territories. Granted, I cannot verify whether what I hear is true or not. However, there is a Turkish proverb, which applies precisely to the situation at hand: "where there is smoke, there is fire."
Moreover, there are some rumors in the corridors of Brussels which suggest that the PKK and its Syrian wing; namely, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), have a growing interest in aid that is "humane" and "good-willed," such as the restructuring of Kobani or the removal of land mines in the region. According to rumors, "voluntary advisers" try to guide the terrorist group on the subject. Hopefully these rumors are not true.
In any case, it seems that in the European Parliament, which is obliged to act as a democratic control mechanism against terrorism and other related threats to democracy -- including the monitoring of humanitarian aid expenditures -- some members act as though they have no such obligations. Regrettably, we can make the assumption that such claims or "rumors" do not start swirling without some sort of propelling source.
Germany is the poster child in this regard. The president of the German federal office for the protection of the constitution, Hans-Georg Maaßen, has announced that the number of forces heading to Iraq and Syria to fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (DAESH) exceeds one hundred. Speaking to the German magazine Focus, Maaßen said the majority of those heading to combat as "volunteers" were actually brought to the region under the influence of the PKK, adding that officials have discovered roughly 20 people who have been convinced to fight against DAESH by some organizations that have close ties with the PKK. According to Maaßen, DAESH recruited these supporters through an Internet platform called "Lions of Rojava," and got in touch with the PYD on their own accord.
Maaßen also emphasized that the PKK is expected to find more "foreign warriors" from Germany and other European countries to fight DAESH, given the current situation in the region. Reports published by Focus magazine collaborate this theory, revealing that 19-year-old Ivana Hoffmann from Duisburg and 21-year-old Kevin Jochim from Karlsruhe, two young Germans who joined the PKK units to fight DAESH, lost their lives.
This news is especially significant in the aftermath of the violent terrorist attacks in Paris. Just as DAESH poses a major threat to the French, Germans who join the PKK also pose a threat to Germany.
So, in light of all these facts, it is safe to say that EU leaders who support the PKK, while simultaneously withdrawing support for Turkey, are committing a fallacy. It remains to be seen what will become of the January 2016 meetings – meetings, which are being organized by the EU and will undoubtedly be used by the PKK as a platform for their vendetta.
It is unfortunate to witness the snowball effect the crisis between Turkey and Syria-backed Russia has had on world order. While the EU has used anti-Russian propaganda since the Russian occupancy of Ukraine, now the EU has started supporting the Kremlin.
It is even more unfortunate to watch the European Parliament embrace the fabricated lies which are being propelled by the Russia propaganda mechanism; namely, that "Turkey buys oil from ISIS [DAESH]." Until only recently, the EU was blaming Russia for spreading lies regarding the Ukraine crisis, but now they are spreading the lies of the Russians throughout the European Parliament corridors; under the mentality that they must stand against Turkey at all costs.
However, there have been many changes effecting Turkey, not only in Brussels, but also across all of the EU. The European Parliament currently has only one partner regarding anti-terrorist fighting measures and the refugee crisis, and that partner is Turkey. Unfortunately, EU members have been unable to keep pace with the rapid changes, yet again. "Dissidence to Turkey," which was once a rising trend in Brussels and other EU capitals, is now being replaced with "good relations and being on friendly terms with Turkey."
Some European Parliament members still endeavor to remain on good terms with the PKK, while some others are trying to console themselves with pro-Putin remarks, only to oppose Turkey.
The EU public is expecting the authorities to resolve the refugee crisis and to stand against terrorism.
Joint action with Turkey regarding these issues is favored by the citizens of EU countries, but now, it is a question of "when" the European Parliament members will become aware of this fact.
Hopefully they will notice before July 2019 or they run the risk of being excluded from Parliament.
