On Tuesday in Strasbourg, the European Parliament (EP) presented its yearly assessment on Turkey, authored by Spanish MEP Nacho Sanchez Amor. Alongside raising cautionary flags about Ankara’s deepening relationship with Moscow, the report positions the Council of Europe (CoE) as a pivotal benchmark for Turkey’s democratic journey. It particularly highlights European Court of Human Rights rulings in high-profile cases such as those of Selahattin Demirtaş and Osman Kavala.
CoE as the linchpin for Turkey’s democratic development
The EP’s report emphasises the CoE’s role in Turkey’s democratic development. It backs the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly’s (PACE) resolution from 12 October 2022 and states that Turkey is “bound by the judgements of the ECtHR,” referring to the landmark rulings in the high-profile cases involving Selahattin Demirtaş and Osman Kavala.
The report highlights the specific cases, pointing at the “interim resolutions of 9 March 2023 and 2 December 2021 on the execution of the judgement of the ECtHR in Selahattin Demirtaş v. Turkey”. It further mentions the CoE’s “demand of 8 June 2023 for the immediate release of Osman Kavala, Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş”, underscoring the CoE’s pivotal role in steering Turkey towards democratic norms and human rights compliance.
Russia-Turkey relations: A risky entanglement
The report takes a critical stance on Turkey’s interactions with Russia, especially against the backdrop of Russia’s military actions in Ukraine. It reveals a “significant decline in Turkey’s alignment with EU Foreign and Defence Policy, plummeting to a mere 7% in 2021”. While acknowledging Turkey’s constructive role in “facilitating talks between Ukraine and Russia”, the report accuses Ankara of “not restricting the operations of Russian media outlets in the context of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine”.
Trade relations between Russia and Turkey have surged, “nearly doubling since the start of the war in Ukraine”. It prompts the European Commission to evaluate the implications of this trade boom on EU-imposed sanctions. The document also highlights the influx of Russian nationals, including high-profile oligarchs, into key Turkish cities and coastal regions. Oliver Varhelyi, responsible for Neighbourhood and Enlargement at the European Commission, urged Turkey to align with the EU on Russian sanctions.
An alternative relationship with Turkey
Regarding Turkey’s EU aspirations, the report firmly states that Turkey “needs to credibly demonstrate its commitment to closer relations and alignment with the EU”. It advocates for a more robust and strategic relationship between Turkey and the EU.
The report doesn’t hold back on critiquing Turkey’s geopolitical manoeuvres either. It calls on Ankara to “refrain from all actions which violate the sovereignty and sovereign rights of all EU Member States and are in breach of international and EU law”, referring to ongoing tensions with Greece and Republic of Cyprus.
