Welcome in Italy to Erdogan, freedom protector

© Gianfranco Uber – the Turc in Italy

Monday, February 5, Turkish President  Erdogan is on an official visit to Rome, to encounter Pope Francis, President Mattarella, Prime Minister Gentiloni and above all a delegation of Italian businessmen. With him, an escort of 54 armed agents, a small armoured car with a canon to travel in Rome, while Italy mobilized 3,500 men to protect him. Exceptional measures, although difficult to understand to receive such a dictator who keeps his country in a state of urgency, a pretext to imprison his political opponents, to create private militias, to reform the state, destroying the rule of law to control the legislative, executive and judiciary powers. As Can Dündan writes in the newspaper La Repubblica of February 5 (p.23) “President Erdogan goes towards the uniqueness of the leader, towards the ducization” (from the nickname of mussolini ‘Il duce’).


A drift that the EU (Turkey not only has the statute of associated member since 1963, but is also a negotiating country for accession since 1999), the NATO (Turkey is a member from the beginning) seem unable to prevent. Of course, as Antonio Tajani (President of the European Parliament) declared – shared thoughts with many other European leaders – during a debate on Turkey that: “the European Union does not intend in any way to close the door to the Turkish people, which remains ours friend”. Although, he added, you cannot look elsewhere when events take a direction that are in contradiction with the principles of the European Union.” Freedom of the press, freedom of expression, are fundamental rights for anyone who wants to join the European Union and the death penalty, similarly, is an impassable red line“. However, this red line Erdogan surpassed it. Since 15 July 2016 (the date of the attempted coup), 50,000 people have been arrested, over 100,000 removed from their position (including many military, judges, teachers, officials). The two presidents, ten parliamentarians and dozens of mayors belonging to the second opposition party are still in prison.

Many newspapers were closed and 150 journalists sent to prison. In December 2017, during the same week, 70 journalists were judged, accused of enduring terrorist organs, only because they “allowed themselves” to criticize government policy. Turkey is ranked 155 out of 180 in the Reporter Without Borders’ 2017 World Press Freedom Index (For more information see the Reporter Without Borders website: https://rsf.org/en/rsf_search?key=Turkey ). After Erdogan’s experience with journalists who, during his visit to Paris in early January 2018, asked questions that he did not like, the Turkish dictator refused to hold a press conference during his stay in Rome.


Of course, trade between Turkey and Italy represents $ 17.8 billion, the EU-Turkey trade represents 4% of total EU exports, with a surplus for the EU in 2016 of € 11 billion. Tutrchia is the fourth EU partner for goods trade, at the same level as Russia:

Of course, weighs on the geopolitical balance of Europe the problem of immigration and the agreement with Turkey to retain on its territory migrants crossing its borders. Agreement that Erdogan threatens not to respect, complaining about the treatment received by the EU when Turkey respect its part. (The agreement provides for a payment of € 3 billions renewable once – a large part being use to migliorate the situation of migrants in the camps).


It is true that French President Macron “It is clear that the developments and choices of Turkey do not allow any progress of the process (of accession) engaged“, German Chancellor Merkel “the meeting we had (With Erdogan during the G20 in September 2017) showed that we had deep differences “or Commission’s President Juncker “Turkey is moving away from Europe in a giant leap“, do not hesitate to speak clear and firm language unusual in diplomacy, also criticizing the operation (hypocritically named “Olive branch”) undertaken in Syria in the canton of Afrine against the Kurds – Western allies in the fight against Daesh – since January 20, 2018. However, it seems that in practice business continues …

Author

Economist and historian, director of the Center LIBREXPRESSION, Foundation Giuseppe di Vagno

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