Raimon Obiols i Germa S&D MEP and shadow rapporteur said:

"Our main goal as a group is to send a solid and constructive message to civil society taking  account of the critical situation in the country and the multiple reforms which still need to be addressed.

"The engagement must go beyond the government and include civil society, which has shown its resilience and commitment to European values in the face of Erdogan´s authoritarian onslaught. This is why the S&D Group supports the roadmap for visa liberalisation with Turkey.

"The situation in the country has worsened over the last 12 months. There were the Gezi Park demonstrations in May last year. More recently, last December, there was the political corruption scandal that affected the core of the Turkish Government and that ended with the resignations of many ministers. The situation in the country has further deteriorated following the events of recent days .

"It is impossible to predict the short-term future of Turkey, but we know that the EU must keep its commitment and try to boost and encourage new reforms given the current situation in the country. From this point of view, the opening of new chapters in the accession negotiations has been a positive step that has been a boost to relations between the EU and Turkey that have  stalled in  recent years."

Libor Roucek, S&D Vice-President for enlargement and neighbourhood policy, said:

"Turkey finds itself in a turbulent and complex political situation – for which the Erdogan government has only itself to blame - but our message should be consistent: we support democratic consolidation, the strengthening of the rule of law and independent judiciary, including a thorough and unbiased investigation into all allegations of corruption, as well as independent media and civil society." 

"We maintain that the EU accession process offers, by far, the best framework for Turkey's reform process and alignment with European values. In this respect, the opening of new chapters, in particular chapters 23 and 24 (on fundamental rights and justice and home affairs)  is of strategic importance."

Zdroj: www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu, 12.3.2014