The 14-page plan, obtained by Milliyet, is expected to be approved at the EPP congress to be held on March 6 in Budapest, Hungary. In the text, the Christian Democrats emphasize the need to expand the European Union to the Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. However, they draw attention to the need to end the negotiations for Turkey’s full membership.
The newspaper’s Brussels correspondent Guldener Sonomoot reports that the EPP has until now supported the development of EU relations with Turkey in the context of a “privileged partnership”. Now, however, he is in favor of a “treaty of friendship” framework in relations between Brussels and Ankara, with Turkey not being a full member of the EU.
The manifesto, entitled “Our Europe, a good and safe home for people” was drawn up by Thanasis Bakolas, former chief of staff of the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and current general secretary of the EPP, as well as by EPP president Manfred Weber, while it is supported both by the President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen and by the Greek Commissioner Margaritis Schina.
According to information from sources close to the EPP, members from Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Cyprus, Ireland, Finland and Luxembourg are in favor of the proposal.
The paper claims the proposal was “written to attract voters from the xenophobic far-right parties on the rise in Europe” ahead of the European elections.
The publication states that the resumption of negotiations for Turkey’s full EU membership is not even on the agenda.
The proposal of the heads of state and government of the EU last June to revitalize relations with Turkey, the editor adds, has not been approved by the European institutions.
At the same time, the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Liberals of the European Parliament have put the issue of Turkey on the agenda beyond the EPP.
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