GUE/NGL president Gabi Zimmer strongly criticises the Turkish AKP initiative to lift the immunity of more than 140 Parliament members:

“With yesterday's vote in the Turkish parliament, Erdogan's AKP is getting ever closer to its goal of throwing the pro-Kurdish HDP opposition out of the Parliament. For many weeks now, we have attempted to bring the attention of the international community and EU governments to the dangerous manoeuvres being carried out by the AKP in Turkey. In response we have heard nothing but a vociferous silence. Merkel & Co do not want to risk their dirty deal with Turkey and sweep all concerns and warnings about their policies under the carpet.”

Gabi Zimmer continues: “EU governments must not wait until it is too late for democracy in Turkey. They need to act now and to urge Erdogan that he has to change track immediately. It is high time to do both.”

“Since the beginning of the migration crisis, we have been warning EU governments not to put themselves in the hands of this Turkish government. Erdogan is ruthlessly making use of the EU's self-inflicted dependence and is buying the silence of the governments while he carries out military attacks against his own population and locks up journalists and critics.

Zimmer concludes: “If during the second vote this Friday, 367 deputies vote in favour of the AKP initiative, a lot more than the Constitution will be changed. The result would be a serious attack on Turkish democracy and it would eliminate the last obstacles to Erdogan's authoritarian presidential system.”

GUE/NGL Press Contact:

Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20

Nikki Sullings + 32 483 03 55 75