Turkey Criticizes EU Report on Membership Bid as Biased; Accuses EU of Failing on Democratic Standards and Rule of Law

Turkey Rejects EU Accusations of 'Serious Backsliding' on Democratic Standards, Charging a 'Double-Standard' Approach; Tensions Intensify Amid Ongoing Conflicts Involving Immigration and the Israel-Hamas War

• Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has refuted the European Commission's annual report, which accuses Ankara of backsliding on democratic standards, the rule of law, human rights, and judicial independence.
• Turkey dismisses EU's claims as unjust and biased, alleging a 'double-standard' approach, underscoring that issues of basic rights remain contentious within EU member states themselves.
• The tense relations between Turkey and the EU have been aggravated by ongoing crises including immigration and the war between Israel and Hamas, with Erdogan accusing the West of being the main culprit behind the conflict in Gaza.
• Turkey's courting of EU membership, which began in earnest in 2005, has been held up due to concerns over rights and policy disputes, including contentious issues relating to Syria, Cyprus, Libya, and territorial claims with Greece over Aegean Sea islands.
• The EU Commission's report also criticizes Turkey's counterterrorism operations and the country's refusal to comply with a European Court of Human Rights ruling calling for the release of philanthropist Osman Kavala, detained since 2017.

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