Brussels, July 18 (CTK) – The EU clearly condemns the recent attempt at a military coup in Turkey, but at the same time it is convinced that Turkey must not divert from democracy and democratic values protection in consequence of the event, Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek told reporters yesterday.
In the present difficult time following an unsuccessful coup, it is important that everybody in Turkey have the right to a just trial, Zaoralek (Social Democrats, CSSD) said on the sidelines of a meeting of EU foreign ministers.
He said the EU is interested in a dialogue with Ankara, including possible talks with it by the 28 EU countries’ leaders or top representatives of the EU institutions.
The EU must closely watch the situation in Turkey and the consequences the suppression of the military coup will have in the country, Zaoralek said.
In reaction to the unsuccessful coup, the Turkish authorities have launched a wave of arrests and a possible reintroduction of death penalty has started to be discussed.
According to Zaoralek, such development would go counter to all principles on which the EU’s relations with Turkey, a long-standing candidate for EU membership, have been based on.
Turkey has been interested in EU accession talks so far. If its interest continues, there are long-term conditions that a candidate must meet, Zaoralek said, referring to death penalty as an unacceptable obstacle.
Earlier yesterday, the possibility of Turkey’s EU entry if it reintroduced death penalty was ruled out by the EU’s chief of diplomacy Federica Mogherini.
“It the consequence [of the attempted coup] were to be Turkey’s shift towards a more authoritarian regime…it would be a defeat,” Zaoralek said, adding that Turkey might split if its present government embarked on the above path.
He said the Turkish developments are very important not only regarding the migration deal the EU and Ankara signed this spring, but also because Turkey is a NATO member.
The migration deal, which has in fact barred the Balkan migrant route, is probably not threatened for the moment, Zaoralek said.
“This does not look like changing dramatically in the nearest future,” he said.
The effort at visa liberalisation is a part of the EU-Turkey agreement. However, it can hardly be spoken about if Ankara failed to respect the conditions related to it, Zaoralek said.
“For the agreement to remain valid for long, it is necessary that Turkey fulfil the agreement on its part,” Zaoralek said.
