BAGIS CRITICIZES THE EU ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

Following his official visits in Brussels, Minister for European Union Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis held a press meeting and criticized the EU about freedom of expression. 

Pointing out that Chapter 23 on judiciary and fundamental rights and Chapter 24 on justice, freedom and security which cannot be opened due to the veto by the Greek Cypriot Administration, were concerned with the fundamental rights and freedoms, particularly freedom of expression and he said that the EU trying to criticize Turkey on these issues was unable to explain the reason why these two chapters couldn’t be opened although Turkey meets the necessary criteria. Bagis said that if the EU regarded freedom of expression highly, it would then have to open these two related chapters to negotiations.

Minister Bagis emphasized that at the December Summit, the EU leaders, through an application that they refer for the first time, took a decision to open the 23rd and 24th chapters as a prerequisite and then start the negotiations with Montenegro. Minister Bagis also pointed out that there was a contradictory application by the EU concerning these two chapters that was to say that Turkey which had opened 13 chapters since membership talks started cannot take a step on these two chapters due to the veto of Greek Cypriot Administration. Bagis noted that in his Brussels talks he called for his counterparts to lift this contradiction.

Minister for EU Affairs Bagis said "On one side there is an EU that cares about freedom of expression in Turkey, and on the other side we face the EU members turning their freedom of expression into a handicap of expression. We emphasized this contradiction. What France is exactly doing is to turn freedom of expression into a handicap of expression and bring Europe back to middle ages. We all have to oppose this. These kind of efforts cause the EU appear weak. The Europe, who is afraid of speaking and arguing has nothing to give humanity but the EU that we always emphasize being the most comprehensive peace project in the history of humanity, has to be more courageous and liberal ."

Bagis noted that the day before he met with officials and one of them, Hannes Swoboda, the leader of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament said that Turkey was quite right on the problem with France, European Parliament's (EP) Rapporteur on Turkey Ria Oomen-Ruijten said that everybody should express his/her views freely.

Source: AA