The coup staged by Turkish President Erdoğan and his AKP on the immunities of parliamentarians worries also the EU member states that sustain visa-free negotiations with Turkey in return for the deal on refugees.
The coup staged by Turkish President Erdoğan and his AKP targeting the immunities of parliamentarians worries also the EU member states that sustain visa-free negotiations with Turkey in return for the deal on refugees.
The interior ministers of the EU adopted on Friday a so-called emergency brake that would allow them to halt visa-free access from Turkey to Europe if key conditions are violated.
On the other hand, warnings are being voiced from the EU-member states regarding the removal of the immunities of the Turkish parliamentarians.
Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka from the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) defended that the lifting of immunities will also increase the number of Kurdish refugees to come to his country.
Sobotka said the removal of immunities is formally unacceptable, remarking that Turkey's attainment of visa-free access depends on the criteria demanded by the EU, which includes the amendment of the anti-terror act.
German Federal Minister of the Interior Thomas de Maiziere also voiced concerns on the lifting of immunities which -he said- could affect their relations with Turkey and overshadow their mutual relations in domestic politics.
Gabi Zimmer, Chair of the Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL), warned that the next step in Turkey would be to 'establish Erdoğan's autocratic presidential system'. Indicating that 50 out of 59 HDP MPs are facing a summary of proceedings, Zimmer said these parliamentarians are charged with terrorism for impeding Erdoğan's super-power dreams.
Zimmer stressed that the presidents and prime ministers of the EU-member states and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel should finally wake up and admit with whom and in return for what they made the dirty EU-Turkey deal on refugees.
Rebecca Harms, President of Greens in European Parliament, stated that Turkey gradually steers away from democracy and principles of the state of law. Harms said Turkish President Erdoğan's approach on the immunity issue revealed that he wouldn't be a good partner in the refugee deal.
