EU Minister Ömer Çelik’s interview on Anadolu Agency’s Editors’ Desk

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Ömer Çelik attended Anadolu Agency’s Editors’ Desk today (08 March 2017) and made statements on recent developments.

“Türkiye wants to be part of an EU, based on the union’s founding democratic principles, not an EU dominated by right-wing populists” said EU Minister Ömer Çelik. He told Anadolu Agency's Editors’ Desk “Sometimes they ask me if Türkiye wants to be a part of Europe. I tell them the word Europe is important if you ask that question. Which Europe? If you mean Sarkozy’s, Le Pen’s, Wilders’ Europe, Türkiye never wants to be within such an EU and will never see it as legitimate. However, Türkiye wants to be a natural part of Europe that is integrated with political values and free from double standards on human rights and democracy, within a framework of peace and stability that the founding fathers created.”

Minister Ömer Çelik stated that Europe was moving away from its founding values and becoming introverted, paving the way for right-wing extremism, which he compared to the extreme views of terror groups such as Daesh. “This drift into populism was aided by a leadership crisis in Europe and Europe is facing a leadership crisis but it is not possible to say that the EU is collapsing” he added.

EU Minister Ömer Çelik accused the German federal government of “systematic blocking” to prevent ministers from the Justice and Development (AK) Party from addressing crowds, referring to the creation of a “Berlin Wall” between Germany and Türkiye. Turkish politicians have conducted campaigning among Europe’s Turkish communities for the past three elections, he said.

Minister Ömer Çelik accused decision-makers in Germany of falling under the influence of terrorist groups such as the PKK and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization. “Whenever there is a Daesh attack in Türkiye, Turkish flags are flown on buildings in Germany. But if it’s a PKK attack, they don’t do it.” he added.

Source: AA