Though the EU-Turkey relations are of strategic nature - Turkey has provided instrumental assistance to the EU in the protection of EU’s external borders, mitigating consequences of the migration crisis, global fight against terrorism - mutual grievances and accusations have stockpiled, bringing EU-Turkey relations to their lowest. The EU-Turkey Summit in Varna held on March 26 did not bring any tangible results. In April the European Commission issued a grim report on Turkey pointing to the fact of the country’s backsliding in terms of democracy. The major concern was expressed about the political situation in Turkey, where early parliamentary and presidential elections are scheduled for June 24. Turkey, in its turn, argues with double standards the EU uses regarding Turkey’s membership process and refers to Turkey’s turbulent strategic environment. Recent discursive battles over Turkey’s operation in Syria, Turkish-Greek Cypriot conflict add to the picture.
This panel discussion aims to deconstruct the meaning of the recent developments for the future of the EU-Turkey relations with a special focus on security aspect of this relationship.
10:00 – 10:10 Opening Remarks
Péter Balázs, Director, CEU Center for European Neighborhood Studies (CENS)
10:10 – 11.50
Moderator: Toni Cerkez, CEU International Relations and European Studies
Department
Erzsébet Rózsa Nagyné, Associate Professor, National University of Public Service, Budapest
Maryna Vorotnyuk, researcher,CEU Center for European Neighborhood Studies (CENS)
Özge Memişoğlu, PhD student, National University of Public Service, Doctoral School of Military Sciences
Zoltán Egeresi, research fellow, Center for Strategic and Defense Studies, National University of Public Science, Budapest
RSVP with Dr. Maryna Vorotnyuk at VorotnyukM@ceu.edu