EU selective with condemnation of political persecution – Turkish foreign minister
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has accused the EU of applying double standards by remaining silent over Moldova’s arrest of Yevgenia Gutsul, the elected governor of the country’s autonomous Gagauzia region, who was arrested on charges related to her 2023 election campaign.
Fidan noted that while the bloc has been vocal about the detention of Ekrem Imamoglu, the former mayor of Istanbul and potential rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, they have not condemned similar actions in other countries.
“In France, a woman party leader was imprisoned for corruption. Did you criticize it? No. In Romania, a candidate who won the election was tried before the second round and was politically banned. In Moldova, you imprisoned an elected regional head. Did you condemn it? No,” Fidan stated, as reported by Hurriyet on Sunday.
Last month, Gagauzia Governor Yevgenia Gutsul was arrested amid an investigation into alleged irregularities during her 2023 election campaign. She condemned the Moldovan government’s actions, asserting that it seeks to undermine the autonomous region’s freedoms in retaliation for its support of opposition figures, including herself.
Gutsul’s arrest has sparked protests in Gagauzia, with supporters claiming political persecution. Moldovan authorities assert that the legal proceedings are part of efforts to uphold the rule of law and combat corruption.
The French example Fidan referred to appears to concern Marine Le Pen, a former leader of the right-wing National Rally party (RN) and a three-time presidential candidate. A Paris court sentenced Le Pen to four years in prison for embezzlement last month, with two years suspended, and the other two to be served under a form of house arrest. She also received a five-year ban on holding political office, which effectively disqualifies her from the 2027 presidential race.
Calin Georgescu, a critic of NATO, the EU, and aid to Ukraine, won an unexpected first-round victory in last year’s Romanian presidential election. The results were promptly annulled by the nation’s Constitutional Court, citing funding irregularities. Georgescu was subsequently barred from running in a rerun scheduled for May 2025.
“When I give these three examples, they usually remain silent. I emphasize the double standard. If you don’t evaluate this case with the same standard as the others, I won’t take your criticism seriously,” Fidan concluded.
The EU has not issued an official statement about the three cases. Regarding Imamoglu, the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described his arrest as “deeply concerning.” The European Committee of the Regions condemned the arrest, and a delegation from the EU visited Imamoglu in prison to show solidarity.
