On April 7, 2021, I was invited to the Franco-German channel Arte to take part in 28 Minutes, a debate program devoted to Türkiye-EU relations. The discussion also featured Marc Pierini, former EU ambassador to Türkiye, and Delphine Minoui, Le Figaro’s Türkiye correspondent.
During the program, I explained that while Türkiye needs the European Union, the European Union also needs Türkiye in order to remain a strong actor on the world stage. However, I emphasized that in Türkiye-EU relations, the EU’s “carrot-and-stick” approach toward Türkiye fuels anti-EU sentiment among the Turkish public, and that the double standards applied by the European Union prevent genuine dialogue between the two sides.
I particularly underlined that the European Union failed to understand Türkiye’s position regarding the closure case against the HDP; that the HDP’s links with the PKK were established; that the statement by former HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş — “We will erect a statue of Apo” — was unacceptable; and that the sit-in by the Mothers of Diyarbakır was one of the most important pieces of evidence exposing the relationship between the HDP and the PKK.
Finally, I stated that in its relations with Türkiye, the European Union should take into account the country’s difficult geopolitical position as well as its fight against terrorism. I emphasized that Türkiye cannot be compared to countries such as Norway or France.
Source: ARTE
