EU's Turkey report must not be abused
As it does every year, European Parliament will issue a report on Turkey this year. If only the farce that we are sick and tired of would not be repeated this year. But, unfortunately, all the signs already indicate that a farce will be performed again.
European Parliament members must realize that Turkish society is tired of this farce and its clumsy and unskillful actors. European Parliament's annual report on Turkey can only have a meaning if it is prepared to send it directly to the trash. Otherwise no one in Turkey can be expected to take it seriously.
Of course, some parties, including the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which backs the outlawed PKK, and some nongovernmental organizations that are affiliated with the terrorist group, will use such a report as a propaganda tool, which disgraces European Parliament.
As a matter of fact, European voters do not cast ballots in European Parliament elections, which are held every five years, due to such abused reports and similar activities. For this reason they often ask what the function of the parliament is other than wasting taxes. They are right. The citizens of EU countries feel suffocated due to various problems including the migrant crisis.
They expect a resolution from their own governments. In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel's devoted efforts in this respect are followed with appreciation. They appreciate common efforts exerted by Merkel and other EU country authorities along with Turkey.
But what does European Parliament do? Some members, who try to hinder cooperation with Turkey, stab EU countries in the back with regard to efforts to resolve the migrant issue and lead to growing refugees from Iraq and Syria to the EU by lobbying in favor of various terrorist groups, including the PKK.
EU citizens should know that European Parliament members who support the PKK and its Syrian affiliate Democratic Union Party (PYD) also support Russia, Iran and Syrian dictator Bashar Assad. In brief, some European Parliament members have a direct role in the increasing number of refugees heading to the EU.
Of course, it makes no difference to them. European Parliament members do not shoulder any responsibility. They do not have any idea about citizens' problems. Life is joyful in Brussels and Strasbourg. All the salaries, allowances and privileges seem perfect. We should not be surprised that they approve decisions that are alien to their own countries and the problems of their own citizens.
European Parliament rapporteur for Turkey, Kati Piri, who issued the report on Turkey, is now a well-known figure in Turkey. Most Turkish citizens argue that it is not obvious whether she is the European Parliament's rapporteur for Turkey or the HDP's spokeswoman in Brussels.Former Culture and Tourism Minister Ömer Çelik, who is currently the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesman, issued a remark regarding Piri, which was applauded by 75 million Turks. He said: "The EU is an organization founded by states that slaughtered each other during World War II with the goal of excluding terror and violence and throwing all kinds of violence out of the political field. However, to say the least, representing institutions of a peace project, coming to Turkey and spending time with members of a terror organization and charging the state of the Republic of Turkey is a presumption beyond losing her neutrality." He is right.
Çelik also said: "None of the EU institutions should regard Turkey or Hungary as fields to store people. As the AK Party, we consider EU membership one of the most important agenda topics. Full membership was put on the agenda during our term. Turkey's EU membership is a state policy."
As a rapporteur who is disliked to such an extent by the population of Turkey, we wonder what kind of report on Turkey Piri will present.
So far, the rapporteurs used to pay attention to act impartially regardless of the quality and content of the reports. Piri, on the other hand, seems have full support for those against Turkey. Until recently, she had close ties with members of the "parallel structure" who were in the guise of Brussels-based journalists, and she displayed this affiliation in press releases. As widely known, the "parallel structure" is an illegal organization that attempted to overthrow the government. And now, she has close relations with the HDP, which is the most active proponent of the outlawed PKK and the PYD.
Therefore, her latest remarks sparked a reaction among almost all segments of Turkish society.
There are also some other European Parliament members striving to render the report on Turkey as unreadable as possible. A socialist has been exerting efforts to remove the PKK from the EU's list of terrorist groups, which some 102 deputies have already signed.
Last Friday, a socialist and a Green Party deputy, attempted to issue a new resolution against Turkey, which is currently in a rightful fight with the PKK in a way that any state of law would do. They announced that some 18 members support the resolution, which is titled "Urgent Call for a Peaceful Resolution to the Humanitarian Situation in Sur district of Diyarbakır."
In Diyarbakır's Sur district PKK militants, who are no less dangerous than DAESH militants, dug trenches and tunnels and fire at the Kurdish population. Turkey is fighting against this terrorist group within the rules of a state of law, which would be done exactly in the same way if the targeted country were Germany, the U.K., France or Spain. The interesting point is that a group of European Parliament members, who would adopt a different attitude if their counties were targeted, do not side with the state of law in this context. Does this not contradict EU values? Since when are terrorists advocated in the name of EU values?
More desperately, some figures who showcase themselves as Turkey's allies and attend Turkey Friendship Group meetings have also signed the two petitions I mentioned above. They either are not aware of their actions or are making a fool of their addressees.
The proposals for changes for this year's report on Turkey were due on Feb. 23. The change proposals regarding the decision were truly disappointing.
As a matter of fact, it would be right to show these texts to EU citizens and expose that some members of European Parliament who claim to represent EU citizens actually back up terrorist groups. A vast majority of EU citizens already know that there is no difference between the PKK and DAESH and they would not sympathize with those who assert the opposite.
Despite all the negativities I mentioned, I still believe that there are many European Parliament members who would not condone such nonsensical attitudes, and I hope they would not give opportunities to the members who attempt to abuse the parliament for other motivations.
Otherwise, the role of European Parliament regarding Turkish-EU relations and developments on relations is likely to be even lower than zero. We will see.
As can be seen, while Turkey and Turkish Cypriots are exerting their utmost efforts to come up with a solution, some members of European Parliament who can present the greatest contributions to the issue are trying to sabotage a resolution. In the following days, a farcical Turkey report will be issued at European Parliament. We will of course inform you about what happens at the performance.
European Parliament members must realize that Turkish society is tired of this farce and its clumsy and unskillful actors. European Parliament's annual report on Turkey can only have a meaning if it is prepared to send it directly to the trash. Otherwise no one in Turkey can be expected to take it seriously.
Of course, some parties, including the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which backs the outlawed PKK, and some nongovernmental organizations that are affiliated with the terrorist group, will use such a report as a propaganda tool, which disgraces European Parliament.
As a matter of fact, European voters do not cast ballots in European Parliament elections, which are held every five years, due to such abused reports and similar activities. For this reason they often ask what the function of the parliament is other than wasting taxes. They are right. The citizens of EU countries feel suffocated due to various problems including the migrant crisis.
They expect a resolution from their own governments. In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel's devoted efforts in this respect are followed with appreciation. They appreciate common efforts exerted by Merkel and other EU country authorities along with Turkey.
But what does European Parliament do? Some members, who try to hinder cooperation with Turkey, stab EU countries in the back with regard to efforts to resolve the migrant issue and lead to growing refugees from Iraq and Syria to the EU by lobbying in favor of various terrorist groups, including the PKK.
EU citizens should know that European Parliament members who support the PKK and its Syrian affiliate Democratic Union Party (PYD) also support Russia, Iran and Syrian dictator Bashar Assad. In brief, some European Parliament members have a direct role in the increasing number of refugees heading to the EU.
Of course, it makes no difference to them. European Parliament members do not shoulder any responsibility. They do not have any idea about citizens' problems. Life is joyful in Brussels and Strasbourg. All the salaries, allowances and privileges seem perfect. We should not be surprised that they approve decisions that are alien to their own countries and the problems of their own citizens.
European Parliament rapporteur for Turkey, Kati Piri, who issued the report on Turkey, is now a well-known figure in Turkey. Most Turkish citizens argue that it is not obvious whether she is the European Parliament's rapporteur for Turkey or the HDP's spokeswoman in Brussels.Former Culture and Tourism Minister Ömer Çelik, who is currently the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesman, issued a remark regarding Piri, which was applauded by 75 million Turks. He said: "The EU is an organization founded by states that slaughtered each other during World War II with the goal of excluding terror and violence and throwing all kinds of violence out of the political field. However, to say the least, representing institutions of a peace project, coming to Turkey and spending time with members of a terror organization and charging the state of the Republic of Turkey is a presumption beyond losing her neutrality." He is right.
Çelik also said: "None of the EU institutions should regard Turkey or Hungary as fields to store people. As the AK Party, we consider EU membership one of the most important agenda topics. Full membership was put on the agenda during our term. Turkey's EU membership is a state policy."
As a rapporteur who is disliked to such an extent by the population of Turkey, we wonder what kind of report on Turkey Piri will present.
So far, the rapporteurs used to pay attention to act impartially regardless of the quality and content of the reports. Piri, on the other hand, seems have full support for those against Turkey. Until recently, she had close ties with members of the "parallel structure" who were in the guise of Brussels-based journalists, and she displayed this affiliation in press releases. As widely known, the "parallel structure" is an illegal organization that attempted to overthrow the government. And now, she has close relations with the HDP, which is the most active proponent of the outlawed PKK and the PYD.
Therefore, her latest remarks sparked a reaction among almost all segments of Turkish society.
There are also some other European Parliament members striving to render the report on Turkey as unreadable as possible. A socialist has been exerting efforts to remove the PKK from the EU's list of terrorist groups, which some 102 deputies have already signed.
Last Friday, a socialist and a Green Party deputy, attempted to issue a new resolution against Turkey, which is currently in a rightful fight with the PKK in a way that any state of law would do. They announced that some 18 members support the resolution, which is titled "Urgent Call for a Peaceful Resolution to the Humanitarian Situation in Sur district of Diyarbakır."
In Diyarbakır's Sur district PKK militants, who are no less dangerous than DAESH militants, dug trenches and tunnels and fire at the Kurdish population. Turkey is fighting against this terrorist group within the rules of a state of law, which would be done exactly in the same way if the targeted country were Germany, the U.K., France or Spain. The interesting point is that a group of European Parliament members, who would adopt a different attitude if their counties were targeted, do not side with the state of law in this context. Does this not contradict EU values? Since when are terrorists advocated in the name of EU values?
More desperately, some figures who showcase themselves as Turkey's allies and attend Turkey Friendship Group meetings have also signed the two petitions I mentioned above. They either are not aware of their actions or are making a fool of their addressees.
The proposals for changes for this year's report on Turkey were due on Feb. 23. The change proposals regarding the decision were truly disappointing.
As a matter of fact, it would be right to show these texts to EU citizens and expose that some members of European Parliament who claim to represent EU citizens actually back up terrorist groups. A vast majority of EU citizens already know that there is no difference between the PKK and DAESH and they would not sympathize with those who assert the opposite.
Despite all the negativities I mentioned, I still believe that there are many European Parliament members who would not condone such nonsensical attitudes, and I hope they would not give opportunities to the members who attempt to abuse the parliament for other motivations.
Otherwise, the role of European Parliament regarding Turkish-EU relations and developments on relations is likely to be even lower than zero. We will see.
As can be seen, while Turkey and Turkish Cypriots are exerting their utmost efforts to come up with a solution, some members of European Parliament who can present the greatest contributions to the issue are trying to sabotage a resolution. In the following days, a farcical Turkey report will be issued at European Parliament. We will of course inform you about what happens at the performance.