On Tuesday at noon, the resolution of the European Parliament on the Report on Turkey.
A resolution that vindicates Greece’s positions and criticizes Ankara’s overall stance. Both regarding the implementation of the principles of the rule of law and its behavior toward its neighbors.
The casus belli, the “Blue Homeland”, Greece’s sovereign rights, and sovereignty are all on the table, as well as the issue of the Turkish-Libyan agreement, regarding which the European position is reiterated concerning the violation of international law and the fact that it produces no legal effects.
Did the Spanish MEP who proposed the relevant resolution perhaps wake up one day? Or did it receive a large majority in the vote simply by chance?
Could it be that what we keep repeating—namely, that foreign policy is not for petty party politics and political opportunism—is this being confirmed by recent developments?
Lately, we’ve been hearing pointed calls from the opposition to appeal to the EU in order to address the draft law being prepared by the government Erdoğan regarding the “Blue Homeland.”
However, we see that the resolution refers to and strongly criticizes the Turkish side, with specific references, even though this plan has not been made public beyond reports in the Turkish media.
Was this a coincidence? Or is the reference to the casus belli merely a coincidence? Or perhaps, after all, diplomacy and foreign policy are not conducted through the shouting and clamor of (ultra)patriots who simply outbid one another, as they do on other issues within Greece?
And here the question arises once again: Where do these claims of appeasement and concession come from? Because—let’s be honest—the sound bites are all well and good, the opposition narratives are “fine,” but there has to be some reality somewhere, the kind that ultimately sends the accusers packing.
Some will say that the resolution supports relations with Turkey and seeks dialogue and all that. Yes, that’s true. But what does that mean? Has there ever been anyone who opposed dialogue and relations—both Europe’s and Greece’s—with Turkey? Has anyone suggested that we go and take Constantinople? Or that Europe-Turkey relations be severed?
In any case, the bottom line is that the European Parliament is taking a stand. And it is adopting the Greek positions as they are set forth in their entirety regarding Turkey’s relations and actions. Unless, of course, one disagrees with those positions as well.
We must note one more thing, however: the way the Greek MEPs voted. Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis provided specific details as follows:
MEPs from New Democracy and PASOK voted in favor. MEPs from the Freedom and Victory Party voted against it, while the MEP from the Greek Solution, the MEPs from SYRIZA and the KKE, and MEP Aphrodite Latinopoulou abstained. The reason is up to them.
Let’s be honest. Everything is judged by the outcome and by how things unfold, especially when we’re talking about a region like the one we’re in, where geopolitical realignments and upheavals never cease.
