ABTTF President: “Our country, which has not executed the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights regarding our three associations for the past 16 years, continues to disregard the principle of the rule of law, despite clearly damaging its reputation in the international arena. If our country, which has been a member of the EU since 1981, wants to be perceived as a good example rather than a bad example in Europe and the world, it must prove, not with words but with its practices, that it is the cradle of democracy and that it fully respects the principle of the rule of law.”
The report on the 2023 Rule of Law Report of the European Commission was discussed at a plenary session of the European Parliament (EP) on 28 February 2024.
In her presentation at the session as a rapporteur, MEP Sophie in’t Veld (Renew, Netherlands) pointed out that there are situations where the rule of law has been eroded in some EU Member States and there are issues with judicial independence, noting that alarming situations have been observed in Greece, Hungary, Slovakia, Malta, Poland and Italy and the report prepared by the European Commission does not reflect this alarming picture.
Criticising the European Commission and the EP Presidency for not taking this situation seriously, in’t Veld noted that their duty as MEPs is to uphold EU principles and values, but that the European Commission and other EU institutions should show the same determination and act on the issue.
In’t Veld explained that the reality is actually much worse than what is indicated in the European Commission’s report on developments related to the rule of law in EU Member States, stressing herself and other MEPs at the EP Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) have repeatedly recommended dialogue and cooperation between the European Commission, the EP and other EU institutions during the preparation of the European Commission’s report, but this has been systematically rejected by the EU Member States.
“The systematic violation of the principles of democracy and the rule of law in our country Greece, was once again harshly criticised at an EP plenary session. The fact that the government turns a blind eye to this situation and turns its back on EU values was once again revealed with the statements of EP Rapporteur Sophie in’t Veld at the session. Our country, which has not executed the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights regarding our three associations for the past 16 years, continues to disregard the principle of the rule of law, despite clearly damaging its reputation in the international arena. On this issue, which our country has completely politicised, the Court of Cassation (Arios Pagos) follows the government’s line and refuses every time to restore the legal personality of our associations or to realise their official registration. If our country, which has been a member of the EU since 1981, wants to be perceived as a good example rather than a bad example in Europe and the world, it must prove, not with words but with its practices, that it is the cradle of democracy and that it fully respects the principle of the rule of law’’, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).
