EU Parliament to hold debate on human rights and democracy in Turkey
European lawmakers are expected to repeat calls for the EU to formally end accession talks with Ankara following yesterdays decision by Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to re-open monitoring procedures.
The Council of Europe voted to open a formal procedure over violation of human rights in Turkey with 113 votes in favour and 45 against the decision.
The European Parliament in Brussels is scheduled to hold a debate on fundamental freedoms, human rights and democracy in Turkey. The debate comes a day after Strasbourg-based Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), a human rights body, voted in favour of re-opening monitoring procedures in Turkey.
PACE's decision has drawn criticism from many of Turkey's politicians.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the decision by PACE to put Turkey on a watch list was "entirely political," and Ankara did not recognise the decision.
Erdogan said he was ready to take the question of EU accession to a referendum and that Turkey could not wait indefinitely after 54 years at the door.
TRT World's Hasan Abdullah reports.
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