Oktay: “EU is confined by the foreign policies of Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration”

A delegation from the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) met with representatives of Turkish civil society organisations in Berlin.

Fuat Oktay, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of TBMM and AK Party MP for Ankara, stated that the European Union (EU) had become confined by the foreign policies of Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, saying, “Our position on this is very clear. There can be no approach more damaging to the EU than confining itself to the foreign policies of these two countries”

Speaking to journalists following the meeting regarding the delegation’s contacts in Germany, Oktay criticised that the EU for allowing its foreign policy to become hostage to the positions of Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration.

He warned that such an approach ran counter to the EU’s own strategic interests, describing it as one of the most damaging policies the bloc could pursue. Oktay stressed that Türkiye’s membership of the European Union would provide the bloc with a broader strategic vision, describing Türkiye as a country that contributes to Europe’s security and stability rather than placing additional burdens on it.

Oktay, noting that the EU’s cumbersome structure is very clear to see, added: “We clearly see that the EU is unable to make political decisions, increasingly lagging behind developments and suffering from strategic blindness. We also observe setbacks in Europe, particularly in terms of democratic progress and democratization.”

Oktay stated that Türkiye is not only a member of NATO’s Southern flank, but also a country that contributes to security within the Eastern bloc and makes significant contributions to ensuring that security.