Intervention by AKEL MEP G. Georgiou at the EP plenary on the situation in Turkey and persecution of Kurdish mayors
Ursula von der Leyen and EU officials change this situation, if of course you want to and are capable of so that we can at long last put an end to all these shameful actions and developments
19th September 2019, Nicosia
Every time we talk about Turkey a picture comes to my mind. On the one hand, Erdogan, with a stern look holding in one hand the 4 million refugees and Turkey’s trade balances with European countries on the other, with the EU leaders skeptical and on their knees in the face of their dead-end policies.
So long as this situation doesn’t change, Turkey will be sliding further into authoritarianism. It will continue to hold Cyprus as hostage. It will continue to roam freely and undisturbed, but illegally in the seas; to undermine democracy, violate human rights, curb civil liberties, persecute elected Mayors and marginalize Prime Ministers. It will continue to persecute both Kurds and Turks, whether politicians, journalists or intellectuals.
Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen and the rest of the officials of the EU – change this situation, if of course you want to and are capable of so that we can at long last put an end to all these shameful actions and developments.
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