Anti-democratic practices in EU
Lately, some EU countries have been engaging in a flurry of ugly practices.
Some EU countries that accuse Turkey of being anti-democratic are now displaying various anti-democratic practices. By resorting to any means necessary, they are hindering the organization of meetings that aim to educate Turkish citizens living in the EU about the constitutional amendment referendum that is to be held on April 16. In some EU countries — who claim to be the strongholds of democratic freedoms — hotel hall bookings arranged by non-governmental organizations are being canceled after threats were aimed at the hotel keepers. Unless the hotel keepers yield to the threats, the city's administrative figures where the meeting has been arranged hamper the scheduled meetings by making up all sorts of unrealistic excuses.
However, the attempts to hamper meetings seem to only target the events that endorse "yes" votes. If ministers from Turkey are scheduled to attend the meetings, or the speakers' names are associated with the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), the meetings are sabotaged on the pretext that they do not wish to see a meeting regarding the elections in a foreign country. They employ various restrictive methods and prohibitions that are reminiscent of a dictatorship or a military regime.
Despite that, they do not by any means restrict the meetings aiming to endorse "no" votes for the same referendum — most of which have been organized either by the ethnic-nationalist Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which overtly backs the PKK, or the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). In fact, the politicians of the country where a "no" vote meeting is scheduled often take part in the meetings.
This anti-democratic double standard is a disgrace to democracy. Last week, a meeting organized in Germany's Baden Württemberg state, in which Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ was scheduled to attend, was hindered by the very methods mentioned above. Another meeting arranged in Cologne was sabotaged by threatening the manager of the meeting hall. There are even more examples to such restrictive acts. Following statements by government officials in Germany and the Netherlands that promoted anti-democratic practices, the countries have begun taking stricter measures to prevent informative meetings.
It seems fitting to ask our readers living in the EU: What would happen if German Justice Minister Heiko Maas wanted to organize a meeting to inform German citizens living in the Turkish town of Alanya about a certain issue, and the booking of the hall where the event was scheduled to take place got canceled at the last moment? What if not even one place could be found to host Mass in Alanya? If a government official in Ankara said it was in the charge of the Alanya administration so they could not intervene, then how would Germany react? What would be said about Turkey? Imagine this.
Currently, this is exactly what is happening in some EU countries — particularly in Germany and the Netherlands.
The Turkish electorate is preparing to cast ballots in a democratic referendum that will determine constitutional amendments. By preventing the meetings endorsing "yes" votes and promoting the ones endorsing "no," the countries like Germany, the Netherlands and Austria are making an anti-democratic intervention in Turkey's democratic elections.
Those priding themselves on being the stronghold of democracy are ironically manipulating a democratic election and creating a scandal in the name of democracy.
The ones striving to justify such anti-democratic practices by making up lies or casting aspersions, such as the claim that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan aims to become a dictator through the new Constitution, cannot see the fact that they have resorted to the very methods used by dictators and military regimes. However, by interfering with Turkish citizens' right to be informed, they are in fact losing the trust of the Turkish people in the EU. While hindering "yes" campaigns, they are actually encouraging the Turkish electorate to vote "yes." Undecided voters are offended when they see the ministers of Turkey — which is a NATO. ally and an EU candidate — have been restricted from organizing meetings across Europe. Intervening in a democratic referendum leads to discontentment among the Turkish citizens in Europe.
Due to such implementations, Turkish people living in various EU countries are losing their faith and trust in these countries.
The EU is no longer is a stronghold of democracy for the people living in Turkey.
Some EU countries in particular have fallen into disfavor in the eyes of Turkish people due to their anti-democratic actions.
Such acts also raise concerns in terms of the EU's prevalent image in Turkey.
Those who are mindful to the fact that no democracy should condone double standards must immediately put an end to such scandals for the sake of the EU. Otherwise, the EU could suffer a great deal.
Some EU countries that accuse Turkey of being anti-democratic are now displaying various anti-democratic practices. By resorting to any means necessary, they are hindering the organization of meetings that aim to educate Turkish citizens living in the EU about the constitutional amendment referendum that is to be held on April 16. In some EU countries — who claim to be the strongholds of democratic freedoms — hotel hall bookings arranged by non-governmental organizations are being canceled after threats were aimed at the hotel keepers. Unless the hotel keepers yield to the threats, the city's administrative figures where the meeting has been arranged hamper the scheduled meetings by making up all sorts of unrealistic excuses.
However, the attempts to hamper meetings seem to only target the events that endorse "yes" votes. If ministers from Turkey are scheduled to attend the meetings, or the speakers' names are associated with the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), the meetings are sabotaged on the pretext that they do not wish to see a meeting regarding the elections in a foreign country. They employ various restrictive methods and prohibitions that are reminiscent of a dictatorship or a military regime.
Despite that, they do not by any means restrict the meetings aiming to endorse "no" votes for the same referendum — most of which have been organized either by the ethnic-nationalist Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which overtly backs the PKK, or the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). In fact, the politicians of the country where a "no" vote meeting is scheduled often take part in the meetings.
This anti-democratic double standard is a disgrace to democracy. Last week, a meeting organized in Germany's Baden Württemberg state, in which Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ was scheduled to attend, was hindered by the very methods mentioned above. Another meeting arranged in Cologne was sabotaged by threatening the manager of the meeting hall. There are even more examples to such restrictive acts. Following statements by government officials in Germany and the Netherlands that promoted anti-democratic practices, the countries have begun taking stricter measures to prevent informative meetings.
It seems fitting to ask our readers living in the EU: What would happen if German Justice Minister Heiko Maas wanted to organize a meeting to inform German citizens living in the Turkish town of Alanya about a certain issue, and the booking of the hall where the event was scheduled to take place got canceled at the last moment? What if not even one place could be found to host Mass in Alanya? If a government official in Ankara said it was in the charge of the Alanya administration so they could not intervene, then how would Germany react? What would be said about Turkey? Imagine this.
Currently, this is exactly what is happening in some EU countries — particularly in Germany and the Netherlands.
The Turkish electorate is preparing to cast ballots in a democratic referendum that will determine constitutional amendments. By preventing the meetings endorsing "yes" votes and promoting the ones endorsing "no," the countries like Germany, the Netherlands and Austria are making an anti-democratic intervention in Turkey's democratic elections.
Those priding themselves on being the stronghold of democracy are ironically manipulating a democratic election and creating a scandal in the name of democracy.
The ones striving to justify such anti-democratic practices by making up lies or casting aspersions, such as the claim that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan aims to become a dictator through the new Constitution, cannot see the fact that they have resorted to the very methods used by dictators and military regimes. However, by interfering with Turkish citizens' right to be informed, they are in fact losing the trust of the Turkish people in the EU. While hindering "yes" campaigns, they are actually encouraging the Turkish electorate to vote "yes." Undecided voters are offended when they see the ministers of Turkey — which is a NATO. ally and an EU candidate — have been restricted from organizing meetings across Europe. Intervening in a democratic referendum leads to discontentment among the Turkish citizens in Europe.
Due to such implementations, Turkish people living in various EU countries are losing their faith and trust in these countries.
The EU is no longer is a stronghold of democracy for the people living in Turkey.
Some EU countries in particular have fallen into disfavor in the eyes of Turkish people due to their anti-democratic actions.
Such acts also raise concerns in terms of the EU's prevalent image in Turkey.
Those who are mindful to the fact that no democracy should condone double standards must immediately put an end to such scandals for the sake of the EU. Otherwise, the EU could suffer a great deal.