N-VA requests end to the pre-accession aid to Turkey

At present, Turkey is still a candidate country for EU membership, which is why it receives pre-accession aid. Since 2005, the EU has provided EUR 4.9 billion to Turkey in pre-accession financial aid. Given the unacceptable statements made by President Erdoğan to President Macron - yet another addition to Turkey’s list of provocations and irritations regarding Europe - the N-VA is requesting that this support be stopped.

Following the events in France in which a French teacher was murdered by a Muslim terrorist and after which President Macron called for a tougher approach to Muslim extremism, Turkish President Erdoğan made unacceptable statements: in a personal attack, he questioned President Macron’s mental health and then called for a boycott of French products.

The latest in a long line of Turkish provocations

“This latest one is yet another addition to the list of provocations and irritations from Turkey against Europe. There has already been the Turkish role in the wars in Libya and Syria, in the conflict that flared up in Nagorno-Karabakh and the Turkish oil explorations in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the N-VA says.

Recognise that Turkey will never become an EU member

At present, however, Turkey is still a candidate country for EU membership. It receives pre-accession aid in that capacity, i.e. financial support to help the country develop socio-economically and democratically. Since the negotiations with Turkey as of 2005, the EU has provided EUR 4.9 billion in financial assistance to Turkey, just under 50% of the total Instrument for pre-accession.

“It is high time that Europe and European leaders recognise that Turkey will never become a member of the EU and that we will not give them any more money under the banner of ‘pre-accession aid’. Harsh statements about how Europe rejects and condemns President Erdoğan’s behaviour are not enough. It is time for action,” the N-VA concludes.