After critical EU report, Turkey’s bid to join bloc remains at a 'standstill'
Citing serious democratic backsliding, the European Commission’s latest report on Turkey found few areas of progress in the nation’s long-stalled accession process as Brussels seeks avenues to improve relations.
ISTANBUL – With Turkey’s bid to join the EU long frozen, the European Commission (EC) released its annual report Tuesday on the nation’s accession process, citing continued democratic backsliding under the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Oliver Varhelyi, the EC’s Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, said Turkey had not “credibly addressed” EU concerns over the ongoing deterioration in rule of law, fundamental rights and the independence of the judiciary.
“The underlying facts leading to the standstill in Turkey’s accession negotiations still hold,” Varhelyi said in a statement Tuesday.
Turkey’s foreign ministry released a statement the same day, rejecting what it deemed “baseless claims and unfair criticisms,” reaffirming Ankara’s determination to seek full EU membership.
