Nacho Sanchez Amor, the European Parliament’s Rapporteur for Turkey, has called on the country to stop labeling more than half of its citizens as terrorists and to meet the six criteria for visa liberalization with the European Union (EU). Amor emphasized that Turkey’s failure to adhere to the European Court of Human Rights’ decisions regarding the HDP, release journalists, and address other essential criteria are hindering progress towards visa liberalization.
In an interview, Amor acknowledged that Turkey’s current approach to EU membership is challenging and believes that the accession process may not continue for the foreseeable future. However, he emphasized that President Erdogan holds the key to reverse the situation and put the accession process back on track.
The six criteria for visa liberalization with the EU include measures related to the fight against terrorism, anti-corruption efforts, cooperation with Europol, personal data protection, judicial collaboration with EU member states, and a readmission agreement.
Amor underlined the significance of complying with these criteria, stressing that the Turkish government needs to demonstrate sincere commitment to meeting them. He emphasized that court decisions are crucial in assessing progress, and Turkey must take concrete actions to advance its EU integration journey.
As the EU Rapporteur urges Turkey to address these criteria, it remains to be seen how the country will respond and progress towards visa liberalization with the EU.
