Inadmissibility of EU funding for Turkey

Question for written answer  E-001881/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Lefteris Christoforou (PPE)

Following the adoption of provisions making EU funding from the budget or elsewhere conditional upon respect for the rule of law, the EU has reached a clear decision: ‘Countries in breach of the rule of law are not entitled to EU funding’.

I therefore wonder whether a country such as Turkey is still entitled to receive EU funding,

given that is beyond doubt in blatant breach of the rule of law and not even bothering to hide the fact. For example,

it is prohibiting freedom of expression, throwing journalists and media representatives into jail.

It has outlawed the pro-Kurdish HDP party, which has been garnering the support of over 10% of the Turkish people in elections, and jailed its leader, senior officials, members of parliament and supporters.

It has withdrawn from the Istanbul Convention and is also infringing international and European law in its dealings with EU Member States such as Cyprus and Greece.

In view of this:

• 1.Does the Commission not agree that, in the light of our decision regarding compliance with the rule of law, EU funding for Turkey is inadmissible?
• 2.What further offences does Turkey still need to commit for its funding to be withheld?