At the European Parliament Plenary Session on 7th October, ASSEDEL had the pleasure of speaking to MEP Vladimir Prebilič about Türkiye’s troubling political trajectory and EU-Türkiye relations. We discussed Mr Prebilič’s experience monitoring democratic backsliding in Türkiye in his roles at both the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. He shared his concerns about many topics, such as media freedom, judicial independence, and electoral practices.
Mr Prebilič also stressed the necessity of maintaining ties with Türkiye despite these concerns, in order to continue holding Türkiye’s government to account, and to avoid abandoning those in Türkiye who hope for a brighter future. We also discussed the contributions the European Parliament makes to the EU’s foreign policy, the challenges of working with different political groups, and the most effective ways MEPs can take action on Türkiye, given the EU’s institutional and legal framework.
Mr Prebilič provided valuable insight into the situation in Türkiye broadly and his work specifically, elucidating the functions of the European Parliament and sharing his passion and expertise on the subject. You can watch the full interview here.
