EU ministers: Turkey is moving further away from EU

EU ministers: Turkey is moving further away from EU
The European affairs ministers of EU said that Turkey is moving further and further away from the EU.

NEWS DESK

The European Union said on Tuesday that the negotiations Turkey's accession to EU were in total gridlock, noting that Ankara was moving further away from the agglomeration and that there was little chance of a change in the situation in the near future.

The EU ministers of the European affairs said in a statement after a meeting held in Luxembourg, "The Ministers' Council indicates that Turkey is moving further and further away from the European Union."

The statement added "The negotiations of Turkey's accession have already reached a stalemate."

The EU relations with Turkey have worsened in the recent years as a result of a series of disputes took place over human rights and rule of law issues, especially after the massive repression campaign launched by the Turkish President Recap Tayyip Erdogan in the result of a failed coup d’état attempt against him in July, 2016.

The ministers said in their statement, "The council is particularly concerned about the deep and continuing decline in the rule of law and fundamental rights, including freedom of expression."

The statement added, "The deterioration of the independence of the judicial authority and its functioning cannot be tolerated. The current restrictions, detentions, imprisonment and other continuing measures aiming the journalists, academics and members of political parties, including the parliamentarians, human rights defenders, users of social media and others who exercise their fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be tolerated."

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ANHA