EU-Turkey deal left in responsibility vacuum
EU-Turkey deal
At today’s Conference of Presidents, the Liberals joined the right wing parties in blocking a debate in next week’s plenary in Strasbourg on the EU-Turkey refugee deal.
The Greens/EFA group proposed an oral question in light of the recent Court of Justice of the European Union ruling that it does not have competence over the EU-Turkey deal. The court stated that the deal is not an EU level agreement, but constitutes bilateral agreements between EU member states and Turkey. ALDE joined the EPP, ENF, ECR and EFDD in blocking the proposal.
Commenting on the implications of the decision, Greens/EFA co-president Philippe Lamberts said:
"The majority in the European Parliament have willingly surrendered democratic oversight of the EU-Turkey deal. As we approach the one-year anniversary of the deal, we find ourselves with a deal that is failing, and no one willing to take responsibility for it. There is a deeply disturbing vacuum of responsibility.
"For all the Liberals promise of a so-called new pro-European coalition, it seems they are content to simply prop up the positions of the EPP with little regard for the consequences."
