Writing for Politico, Cengiz Aktar, a professor of political science at the University of Athens and an essayist, comments on “The West’s disastrous Russia and Turkey policies”, singling out former German Chancellor Angela Merkel for damning criticism:
“During her time in office, former Chancellor Angela Merkel developed a Faustian pact with Erdoğan, paying 10 visits to Turkey— three in 2016 alone, when the country was politically and morally devastated — setting a record among Western leaders. And as Merkel continued to visit and welcome Erdoğan in Germany, neither his authoritarian drive at home, nor Turkey’s aggressive moves in the Eastern Mediterranean, Iraq, Libya and Syria or its U.N.-documented sponsorship of jihadi terrorism lessened. None of this deterred Merkel’s unconditional support either, including arms sales — just as with Russia.
Since 2015, the EU has followed this appeasement policy initiated and led by Merkel. And Ankara’s pro-EU utterances, its empty rhetoric on reforms and tactical retreats from confrontation are systematically taken for granted by the pro-Ankara axis.
This cynical agenda is driven by the fear of losing “NATO partner Turkey” to Russia. In addition, Europeans have been avoiding jeopardizing their economic interests in Turkey and are fearful of placing their refugee deal with Ankara at risk. They have also been terrified of doing anything that might trigger a social implosion — despite the fact that appeasement is not an adequate answer to any of these of these angsts.
The more the EU and the West appease, the more brazen and entrenched Erdoğan becomes, and the more insolent and dangerous he is for others. Exactly like Putin.”
Last year, German ECR MEP Lars Patrick Berg was amongst the signatories of a request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Turkey, notably the case of Selahattin Demirtas and other prisoners of conscience, warning about “the reiterated violations of human rights by the Turkish regime, particularly since the attempted coup of 2016, and the consequent negative developments on fundamental rights, on media freedom and on the judiciary reveal the dramatic human rights situation in Turkey and the continuing erosion of democracy and of the rule of law”.
Berg and others then issued the following call for the European Parliament to engage in the following action:
“Underlines that Turkey should uphold the highest standards of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law, including compliance with international conventions;
Calls on the Commission and Council to unconditionally and irrevocably terminate all negotiations regarding the accession of Turkey to the EU, as it is not a European country and does not act in accordance with European values, particularly those aimed at preserving a peaceful Europe, and should therefore not become a member of the European Union;
Calls on the Commission and the Council to terminate all funding to Turkey in terms of the pre-accession process, the current and planned MFF, the EU Facility for Refugees, and in terms of the EU-Turkey action plan on migration; furthermore, calls on the EU to stop all EIB loans to Turkey; asks for the suspension of the EU-Turkey Customs Union agreement, which entered into force on 31 December 1995;
Underlines the latest discriminations against Christians in Turkey and ask Turkish authorities to prosecute the aggressors of Simoni and Hurmuz Diril;
Urges the Turkish judiciary to swift implement the last European Court of Human Rights judgement and consequently release Selahattin Demirtaş;
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Vice President/High Representative of the European Union and the competent Turkish authorities.”