•Turkish Foreign Minister Highlights Inconsistent Responses to Legal Actions Across Europe
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has launched a sharp critique against the European Union, accusing the bloc of applying double standards in its condemnation of political persecution cases.
His remarks highlight what he sees as the EU’s selective outrage—vocally protesting judicial actions in Turkey while remaining silent on similar situations in Moldova, France, and Romania.
The controversy stems from the EU’s strong reaction to Turkey’s detention of Ekrem Imamoglu, the former mayor of Istanbul and a potential political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
While EU officials, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, called Imamoglu’s arrest “deeply concerning,” Fidan points out that the bloc has not shown similar concern for other high-profile cases in Europe.
In Moldova, Yevgenia Gutsul, the elected governor of the autonomous Gagauzia region, was arrested in June 2024 over alleged campaign finance violations during her 2023 election.
Gutsul, a pro-Russian figure, claims the charges are politically motivated, arguing that Moldova’s pro-EU government is targeting her for opposing central policies.
Her arrest sparked protests in Gagauzia, with supporters calling it an attack on regional autonomy.
Despite Moldova’s aspirations for EU membership, the bloc has not issued any official condemnation of the case.
In France, Marine Le Pen, former leader of the National Rally party and a three-time presidential candidate, was sentenced to prison in May 2024 for embezzlement.
The court also imposed a five-year ban on holding public office, effectively disqualifying her from the 2027 presidential race.
Critics argue the ruling weakens political opposition in France, yet the EU has remained silent on the matter.
Similarly, in Romania, Calin Georgescu, a critic of NATO and the EU, won the first round of the 2023 presidential election, only to have the results annulled by the Constitutional Court over alleged funding irregularities.
He was subsequently barred from participating in a rerun scheduled for May 2025. Supporters claim the decision was politically motivated, but the EU has not raised objections.
Fidan directly challenged the EU’s inconsistency, stating, “In France, a woman party leader was imprisoned for corruption. Did you criticize it? No. In Romania, a candidate who won the election was tried before the second round and was politically banned. In Moldova, you imprisoned an elected regional head. Did you condemn it? No.”
He added, “When I give these three examples, they usually remain silent. If you don’t evaluate this case with the same standard as the others, I won’t take your criticism seriously.”
The Turkish foreign minister’s remarks underscore a broader criticism of the EU: that its commitment to the rule of law and human rights is applied unevenly, often influenced by geopolitical considerations.
While the bloc has been quick to condemn judicial actions in Turkey, its silence on similar cases within its own sphere raises questions about the consistency of its principles.
As tensions between Ankara and Brussels persist, Fidan’s challenge leaves the EU with an uncomfortable question: Does it enforce its stated values uniformly, or does it turn a blind eye when political interests are at stake?
For now, the lack of response to the cases in Moldova, France, and Romania suggests that the bloc’s moral authority may be compromised by perceived double standards.
(Sources: Hurriyet, Reuters, Politico, EU Observer. Statements cross-verified.)
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