Despite the fact that both the EU and the European Parliament (EP) are not upholding the many promises they are making to Turkey, in addition to their “unjustified” and misinformed criticism, Turkey still values dialogue. Without tiring or growing bored, Ankara is relaying the truth to its European interlocutors. Turkey is warning them of the fact that they are being fooled by the “propaganda of terrorist groups.” Because Turkey respects EU values, it is steadfast in its determination to become an EU member.
In truth, the EU needs to thank Turkey instead of criticizing it. Turkey is the country that has subdued the terrorist group Daesh, which was threatening the EU. Turkey is the only country that fights against terrorists and Daesh.
Similarly, if millions of Syrian refugees haven't crossed into the EU, this is thanks to Turkey. The EU didn’t even give the monetary aid it promised to Turkey, which is housing over 3.5 million Syrians.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has justifiably said, “Let’s form a safe zone so the refugees who are willing can return there,” and said to the countries that are not supportive: “Since you are not supporting the safe zone, we can no longer receive refugees. Let us let them go, so they will come to you, and you will take care of them.” In response, some European politicians have “shamelessly” made false claims saying, “Turkish president is threatening us." In fact, nobody is threatening anyone. The president has simply spoken the truth.
"The truth," however, is a subject that the EU and EP are not willing to hear when it comes to Turkey. The EU and EP really love playing the "three monkeys" game when it is said that "The PKK terrorist group and the People's Protection Units (YPG) are controlled from the same center,” or “The person named Mazlum Kobani, who is commanding the YPG, was a leader of PKK for a very long time.”
The EU and EP continue the "three monkeys" game when it is said that "The YPG is not fighting against Daesh. The YPG is fighting against Syrian Arabs, Kurds and Turkmens."
The EU and EP act as if they haven’t heard anything when it said that "Energy zones around the island of Cyprus within the Eastern Mediterranean do not exclusively belong to the Cypriot Greeks. Besides, by making only the Greek Cypriots EU members, you have performed a great injustice toward Turkish Cypriots.”
In short, when it comes to the truth, only the lies, not the truths, concern the EU and EP. We experienced an example of this last Wednesday. The Turkish foreign minister, despite being short on time, visited the new president of the EP David Maria Sassoli, in order to get acquainted and have a brief conversation in Brussels, where he had gone to participate in the NATO Foreign Affairs Ministers Summit. Following this short "meeting of courtesy," Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavulşoğlu left the European Parliament and said, "I have had a sincere and constructive meeting." The meeting was truly sincere and friendly.
However, new EP President Sassoli made snide comments on social media by brushing aside the facts and basic diplomatic courtesy. I, myself, am "ashamed" in this institution's stead, as a previous member of European Parliament.
The EP president, with four different comments on Twitter, announced to the public everything that was not spoken at this meeting but “would receive the applause of anti-Turkey groups within European Parliament,” as if they had been spoken.
There was an opportunity to have a very beautiful dialogue. However, the EP president destroyed this chance.
Foreign Minister Çavulşoğlu justifiably made a comment to answer this “ugly situation,” saying: “Here is another example of the insincerity and hypocrisy of the EU. The President of the European Parliament shared topics that were not said to my face. Appalled that the person who represents the European peoples distorts the content of the meeting.” He is right!
This insincere and hypocritical attitude of the EU is actually causing a lot of harm to Turkey-EU relations.
We have experienced this before. Three well-known names of EU member states have “lied” by “stating the things that they have not said as if they have said them” while in front of journalists, despite the fact that they did not say anything negative while talking with President Erdoğan. However, there were no reasons for them to be cowards while they were in the meeting.
It would be very natural for them to voice their criticisms. However, on the contrary, they said good things and left. And after that, they tried to fool their own voters by stating lies in front of journalists.
Turkish public opinion is tired of this hypocrisy. These hypocritical attitudes and insincerity are harming the EU’s image the most.
For example, the image of the European Parliament in Turkey is zero. For example, following the meeting last Wednesday, unfortunately, the EP president has not provided anything beneficial to the image of the European Parliament. On the contrary, in the eyes of Turkish public opinion, he has caused great harm to the EP.
That was a chance to have a beautiful dialogue. It seems that those who are compelling the EP president to make those comments on social media do not truly desire such a dialogue.
