The European Parliament has issued a firm call to Turkey to respect the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the religious rights of minorities, as part of its annual report on Turkey’s EU accession process, which was adopted on May 7, 2025, with 367 votes in favor, 74 against, and 188 abstentions.
The report, drafted by Spanish MEP Nacho Sánchez Amor (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats), emphasizes that negotiations for Turkey’s EU membership have been “frozen since 2018” due to the severe deterioration of the rule of law. It concludes that, under current circumstances, accession talks cannot be revived.
While encouraging strategic cooperation with Turkey in areas such as climate action, energy security, counterterrorism, and regional stability, the European Parliament expresses “deep concern” over the state of democracy and human rights in the country. It highlights the ongoing lack of judicial independence, calling it “dire” and the result of systematic government interference and political instrumentalization of the judiciary.
On issues of particular relevance to Greece, the Parliament welcomes increased dialogue with Christian minorities but notes with regret that there has been “no substantial progress” in safeguarding the rights of ethnic and religious minorities. This includes persistent problems regarding their legal recognition, especially in relation to the Greek Orthodox communities of Imbros and Tenedos.
In a strong statement, the European Parliament calls on Turkey to recognize the legal personality of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and respect the public use of the title “Ecumenical Patriarch.” It also urges the Turkish authorities to implement the Venice Commission’s recommendations and comply with all relevant rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
Furthermore, the report reaffirms the Parliament’s demand for Turkey to “fully respect and protect the outstanding universal value” of Hagia Sophia and the Chora Museum, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites that have been controversially converted from museums into mosques in recent years.
Source: ANA-MPA, Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
