Brussels, 04/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has expressed concern following the arrest of several people in opposition circles in Turkey, most of whom are well-known journalists. “The European Commission is following with concern the recent police action against journalists”, Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle states in a press release dated 4 March. “Turkish law does not sufficiently guarantee freedom of expression in line with the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights. Freedom of expression and freedom of the media are fundamental principles which should be upheld in all modern democracies”, Füle said. Speaking in a resolute tone, he went on to add: “We expect Turkey, as a candidate country, to implement such core democratic principles and enable varied, pluralistic debate in the public space. Turkey urgently needs to amend its legal framework to improve the exercise of freedom of the press in practice and in a significant manner”. Respect of fundamental freedoms (especially freedom of the press) in Turkey was also one of the subjects evoked by Stefan Füle with the Turkish foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, who was in Brussels on Friday for talks with European decision-makers (and where he also met Catherine Ashton). (H.B./transl.jl)