MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th June, 2022) Negotiations on Turkey's accession to the EU have been frozen due to Ankara's failure to comply with the EU standards in domestic politics, European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Oliver Varhelyi said on Monday.
"Turkey has continued to move away from the EU, this is why accession negotiations with Turkey remain at a standstill. Rule of law and fundamental rights in Turkey remain a key concern. The targeting of political parties, human rights defenders and media represents major setbacks for human rights and runs counter to Turkey's obligations to respect democracy, rule of law and women's rights," Varhelyi said at the European Parliament's plenary session, presenting the EU 2021 Report on Turkey.
At the same time, Varhelyi noted that Turkey remains EU's key partner on issues of common interest, including energy, the EU Green Deal and economic post-COVID recovery.
The commissioner also announced the creation of a platform for European companies to invest in the Turkish economy.
After submitting a formal application to the EU in 1987, Turkey waited until 1999 to obtain candidate country status. The negotiations on the membership began only six years later, in 2005, but since then the process seems to have stalled. In 2019, EU-Turkey talks were terminated after Brussels accused Ankara of oppressing free media and civil society in the country.
In late March, Erdogan raised the issue of Turkey's protracted accession process to the EU, saying that negotiations on Ankara's membership should be sped up to "grant Turkey the place it deserves" following Ukraine's EU bid.
