Türkiye faces roadblocks to EU goals, ambassador says

The head of the European Union Delegation to Türkiye, Ambassador Thomas Ossowski, has expressed belief that “democracy will ultimately prevail in Türkiye” following the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, while acknowledging that relations will need time to recalibrate.

In an exclusive interview with Turkish media outlet Oksijen’s Metin Kaan Kurtulus, Ossowski addressed the current state of Türkiye-E.U. relations amid growing tensions over the mayor’s detention.

“We believe that democracy will ultimately prevail in Türkiye. We believe there will be a way out of this crisis. That’s why we don’t want to close the door, but we believe Türkiye needs to comply with the values it has committed to as a candidate country, such as the Copenhagen Criteria,” Ossowski told Kurtulus.

The ambassador indicated that the E.U.’s measured response to Imamoglu’s detention reflects a strategic patience rather than indifference, noting that “recalibrating relations will take time” after this development.

EU diplomat points to unmet criteria for visa progress

On the long-stalled issue of visa liberalization for Turkish citizens, Ossowski placed responsibility on Türkiye’s failure to meet necessary conditions.

“This matter depends on Türkiye; the E.U. shouldn’t be blamed for everything. Visa-free travel isn’t obtained for free—you have to meet the criteria. The reason Türkiye is experiencing this problem is because it doesn’t meet the benchmarks,” he stated. This comes despite the E.U. considering similar visa arrangements for Saudi Arabia, which critics note has not met comparable benchmarks.

The interview, conducted during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, revealed the significant distance between Brussels and Ankara in achieving mutual goals. While the E.U. keeps communication channels open, Ossowski’s comments suggest visa-free travel for Turkish citizens remains unlikely in the near future, with Türkiye still needing to address six outstanding benchmarks.