Commenting on the European Commission’s Progress Report on Turkey, published today, Yannis Maniatis, Vice-President of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) Group and a PASOK MEP, said:
“Today’s Commission report condemns Turkey’s provocations, from the illegal Turkey-Libya Memorandum and the unacceptable casus belli to the obstruction of surveys for the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnector (GSI) and challenges to Greece’s marine parks. It also condemns plans to build a natural gas pipeline between Turkey and the occupied territories without the consent of the Republic of Cyprus, the failure to reopen the Halki Theological School and the unresolved issues surrounding the protection of the property rights of the Greek minority on Imbros and Tenedos. At the same time, it stresses the need to resolve disputes peacefully, referring them, if necessary, to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.”
“Europe must finally turn these findings into action. Imposing targeted economic sanctions on individuals and legal entities is the only way forward. Clear conditions must be set for EU-Turkey relations, requiring respect for international law, the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the sovereign rights of all Member States.”