Members of the European Parliament from Greece’s ruling New Democracy party have submitted a written question to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas following Thursday’s meeting in Ankara between Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and senior European Union officials.
The meeting also included EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos and Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner. In a joint statement after the talks, EU officials said Turkey’s progress toward membership depends on strengthening the rule of law, protecting fundamental rights and meeting democratic standards.
However, New Democracy lawmakers criticized the absence of references to a recent European Parliament report that they said condemned Turkey’s continued casus belli against Greece, alleged violations of Greek and Cypriot sovereignty, and objections to EU-backed projects.
They also cited concerns over Greece’s planned marine park in the Aegean and reports of illegal fishing by Turkish vessels in Greek waters.
In their question, the MEPs asked why these issues were not included in the EU’s public messaging and how the Commission ensures that European Parliament resolutions are reflected in EU foreign policy toward Turkey.
