When presenting its report on the state of accession negotiations with Turkey – which have been at a standstill since 2018 (see EUROPE B13515A4) – on Tuesday, 4 November, the European Commission stressed that although dialogue on the rule of law remains central to EU-Turkey relations, the deterioration in democratic standards, judicial independence, and fundamental rights has yet to be addressed.
“The arrests of and charges brought against elected officials, opposition figures,...