UPDATE - European Commission 2022 report on Türkiye lacks vision, says Foreign Ministry

ADDS MORE FROM TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT; CHANGES THROUGHOUT

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye on Wednesday lashed out at a new European Commission report on Türkiye, saying that it lacks vision and is biased.

Saying that the annual report on the nation’s EU bid disregards the bloc's obligations towards a longtime candidate country and displays double standards, the Foreign Ministry called it "yet another example of the EU’s biased stance when it comes to Türkiye."

"While the importance of cooperation and the collective action against common challenges were underlined in the first meeting of the European Political Community held on 6 October with the participation of our President (Recep Tayyip Erdogan), it is regrettable that this spirit of solidarity is not reflected in the Report," the ministry said in a statement.

Ankara underlined that it does not "accept the unfounded claims and unjust criticism, in particular on the political criteria and on Judiciary and Fundamental Rights Chapter."

"We totally reject the unjust claims purported by the EU, which has so far refused to remove the political obstacles before the negotiating chapters, directing at our political system, politicians, senior officials, fundamental rights and freedoms in Türkiye, as well as certain court rulings and our legitimate fight against terrorism," it added.

The report reflects the Greek and Greek Cypriots duo's unlawful and maximalist views on the Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean Sea as well as the Cyprus issue, said the ministry. Türkiye has long decried efforts for the EU to get involved in bilateral issues between Ankara and Athens.

The report also ignores Turkish Cypriots as well as the views of Türkiye and Northern Cyprus, said the ministry statement, adding that it also "reveals clearly that it has been drafted to serve the interests of some circles." Türkiye has also criticized the EU's failure to keep its promises to the Turkish Cypriots while admitting the Greek Cypriots into the bloc in 2004 as the sole representative of the island.

"We remind once again that the EU is not an international judicial body to determine maritime jurisdiction areas. This manner of the EU is against both its own acquis and the international law," the statement added.

It is "a complete oddity that Türkiye is criticised for its non-compliance with the EU sanctions in relation to the Russia-Ukraine war albeit it does have no obligation to comply with such sanctions," the statement further said.

Citing the landmark grain export deal and exchange of war prisoners between Ukraine and Russia, the ministry said such deals have been possible "thanks to the principled stance of Türkiye."

"Taking the current geopolitical challenges into account, the EU should consider Türkiye as a negotiating candidate country rather than as a third state to resort when necessary and act accordingly in line with the principle of pacta sunt servanda. EU's reports will only be taken into consideration as long as it adopts such an approach," it concluded.

Türkiye applied for EU membership in 1987, and its accession talks began in 2005.

In the years since, the talks have been essentially frozen due to political roadblocks by certain EU members – including Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration – for reasons unrelated to its suitability for membership, according to Ankara.

Turkish officials argue that the EU can never live up to its potential on the world stage without Turkish membership in the bloc, making continued efforts to stymie its accession bid blind and short-sighted.