Top EU diplomat expresses willingness to improve ties with Türkiye
Josep Borrell stated that the elections in Türkiye took place in a democratic environment and that a new page could be opened in Türkiye-EU relations
Emphasizing that democracy and human rights are at the core of relations between Türkiye and the EU, Borrell stated he is “looking forward to working together on reforms bringing Türkiye closer to the EU.”
Borrell, in a statement posted on the social media platform X, emphasized that the calm and professional conduct of the local elections demonstrated Turkish citizens’ commitment to democracy.
Elections held in competitive, democratic environment
The Council of Europe also issued a statement regarding the local elections. The Council of Europe observer mission, which monitored the elections in Türkiye, stated that the elections took place in a fair and democratic environment with a significant number of candidates, indicating that Türkiye had successfully completed a competitive democracy.
A blank page could be opened in Türkiye-EU relations
Messages from Europe have been interpreted as suggesting that a new page could be opened in Türkiye-EU relations. Relations between the parties have been in a state of stagnation for a long time. The chapters that would continue negotiations for Türkiye’s EU membership are vetoed by Greece.
Experts suggest that the EU’s comments should be evaluated in conjunction with the normalization of Turkish-Greek relations, indicating that Türkiye-EU relations could gain momentum.
