IKV PRESS RELEASE

TURKEY-EU TIES SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED IN THE FACE OF COMMON THREATS

Last week, Chairman of the EP Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Elmar Brok and EP’s Turkey Rapporteur Ms. Kati Piri visited Turkey. This was a long-anticipated visit that came more than one month after the July 15 coup attempt. Yesterday, EP President Mr. Martin Schulz and Mr. Dimitris Avramopoulos, Commissioner Responsible for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship were in Ankara for high-level visits, while EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Ms. Federica Mogherini and Commissioner Responsible for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Mr. Johannes Hahn are due to visit Turkey in the coming week.

These high-level visits from the EU are extremely relevant for the future of Turkey-EU relations and Turkey’s EU perspective. It was not only politicians in Turkey who were displeased about the EU’s weak reaction to the coup attempt in Turkey, but the Turkish people who felt that the EU did not care about what happened in Turkey and ignored the ordeal that the country went through both during and after the coup attempt. Turkey, being both a candidate to join the EU and an important strategic partner for the Union regarding security and economic matters is a vital part of Europe. These visits will serve to improve the EU’s standing vis-à-vis the Turkish people and help to get over the sense of being left alone By the EU.

Fethullahist Terrorist Organization Is a Threat Not Only to Turkey but Also to Europe

In the aftermath of the coup attempt, Turkey’s main priority has been to take the necessary measures to prevent the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) from ever engaging in a similar attempt to take over control of the country by eliminating its members and affiliates from positions in the military, judiciary, education system and other state institutions. Thus far, thousands have been discharged from their positions and several hundred detained under suspicion of taking part or supporting the coup attempt. It may be described as a process of restructuring of public administration which requires an extremely strenuous effort since infiltration by the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) is widespread, longstanding and discreet.

Turkey needs the EU’s full support in this struggle to free Turkey from infiltration by and clandestine activities of this organization which also has an extensive network abroad including the EU capital and Member States. It should be underlined that had this organization seized power in Turkey, it would use it to establish an undemocratic, religious regime under the rule of its leader, Fethullah Gulen. Resisting and preventing the activities of such a clandestine organisation which wishes to acquire power through non-democratic and illegitimate means should also be a priority for the EU and its Member States. We would like to reiterate once again the seriousness of this threat not only for Turkey but also for Europe and the EU and make a call to all relevant parties to take the necessary measures not to let Turkey-EU relations be harmed by the malevolent interferences of the FETO organization.

İKV Chairman Ayhan ZEYTİNOĞLU