EU rapporteur warns upcoming Turkey report will show deeper democratic decline

In an interview, European Parliament rapporteur Nacho Sánchez Amor said the EU’s forthcoming Turkey report, scheduled for release on October 28, is set to present a more negative picture than last year’s findings, citing intensified pressure on opposition forces and curbs on basic liberties. He explained that the reports serve to record trends in candidate countries, with any subsequent action left to the Council of the European Union.

Sánchez Amor highlighted the recent state seizure of Halk TV and police raids on its Istanbul headquarters as evidence of ongoing democratic erosion. He also criticized the EU institutions for hesitating to confront Turkey’s human-rights record, suggesting geopolitical interests have tempered their response. The rapporteur warned that Turkey’s strategic value in security and migration cannot offset its failure to meet democratic criteria required for EU accession.