eu slashes turkey’s preaccession funds by 124m
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

EU slashes Turkey’s pre-accession funds by $124m

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today EU slashes Turkey’s pre-accession funds by $124m

German Chancellor Angela Merkel
Ankara - Arab Today

After several calls from German Chancellor Angela Merkel for a cut to the EU’s pre-accession assistance to Turkey, the bloc announced on Saturday a significant decrease in its funds for Turkey under the EU’s 2018 budget deal.
The reason cited is the bloc’s doubts over Turkey’s deteriorating situation in terms of democracy, rule of law and human rights, core criteria for EU membership.
Although it still needs to be formally approved by the EU Council and the European Parliament, the decision is considered a new blow to Turkey’s accession process, which has been frozen for years.
The reduction is about €105 million ($124 million), along with an agreement to freeze an extra €70 million of previously announced spending.
Romanian MEP Siegfried Muresan, the lead rapporteur for the EU’s 2018 budget, said the decision intends to send a clear message that the money the bloc provides “can’t come without strings attached.”
Out of €4.45 billion committed by the EU for Turkey during the period 2014-2020, only €360 million have been distributed so far.
“Talking about cutting pre-accession assistance decreases the EU’s credibility,” Turkey’s EU Affairs Minister Omer Celik said last month.
He added that pausing or cutting negotiations with Turkey would be “suicide” for the bloc.
Turkey applied for membership in 1987 and became eligible in 1997, thereby getting the green light for starting accession talks in 2005.
The refugee deal between Turkey and the EU in March 2016, aimed at managing irregular migration to Europe via the Aegean Sea, created a temporary honeymoon in relations, but accession talks are currently deadlocked.
Some measures Ankara took under the state of emergency following last year’s failed coup attempt are considered undemocratic by the EU.
“This decision (to cut funds) is hardly surprising,” Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, Ankara office director of the German Marshall Fund of the US, told Arab News.
“Taking action against Turkey’s democratic setback was being discussed in EU circles for a long time, and targeted cutting of Instrument for Precession Funds was the likely first move,” he said.
“Germany had also been pushing for such a decision since announcing it would take measures against Turkey,” Unluhisarcikli added.
“The symbolic significance of this decision is very important, as this is the first step backward in Turkey’s integration process to the EU since accession negotiations were launched in 2005.”
Unluhisarcikli said Turkey is entering a slippery slope in its relations with the EU and the US.
“Turkey’s accession is a long-term project already heavily invested in by both Turkey and the EU,” he added.
“Both parties should refrain from taking steps that would endanger the project... Turkey shouldn’t be pushed into a path that leads away from the West.”
Gul Gunver Turan, president of the Turkey-EU Association in Istanbul, said something has to be done without totally severing relations with Turkey.
“And the only tool left was cutting down allocated funds, which anyway were only used by a small amount,” Turan told Arab News.

Source:Arabnews

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

eu slashes turkey’s preaccession funds by 124m eu slashes turkey’s preaccession funds by 124m

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

eu slashes turkey’s preaccession funds by 124m eu slashes turkey’s preaccession funds by 124m

 



GMT 10:10 2017 Thursday ,09 February

3 Important Elements You Have to Consider

GMT 04:03 2017 Monday ,24 April

Bella Hadid ‘dying’ to visit Palestine

GMT 19:25 2016 Wednesday ,25 May

The Brooklyn Desk by Oeuf NYC

GMT 07:49 2018 Friday ,05 January

2 Russian servicemen killed

GMT 07:58 2018 Monday ,01 January

Italy orders N. Korea's envoy to leave

GMT 08:45 2017 Wednesday ,20 December

US military imagines war without GPS

GMT 17:26 2017 Sunday ,17 December

Putin thanks Trump for help in foiling attack plot

GMT 22:19 2017 Monday ,16 October

Cairo-hosted Fatwa conf. new contribution

GMT 02:27 2016 Friday ,10 June

Video hints Japan abetting illegal ivory trade

GMT 07:04 2017 Wednesday ,19 April

1,883 Bahrainis found jobs in March

GMT 14:24 2016 Tuesday ,22 November

Citi and JPMorgan top list of ‘globally banks’

GMT 21:43 2017 Friday ,01 September

People question Nazaruddin`s repatriation expenses

GMT 09:41 2017 Wednesday ,19 April

OIC concerned over violence in Mali

GMT 01:30 2017 Friday ,27 October

May22/Jun21

GMT 05:38 2016 Friday ,30 December

Dubai Airports divert 13 flights due to heavy fog

GMT 11:38 2017 Saturday ,14 January

Mexico names new ambassador to US

GMT 12:03 2017 Wednesday ,22 March

Kuwait to mark World Water Day

GMT 15:00 2017 Wednesday ,27 September

HM King receives invitation from Egyptian President

GMT 02:45 2017 Tuesday ,05 December

President Bashir arrives in Chad

GMT 02:45 2017 Wednesday ,16 August

Turkmen President Visits Pakistan
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday