Türkiye Rejects EU Report Citing Biased Human Rights Findings

The Government of Türkiye rejected the European Commission's 2026 Enlargement Package report on November 4, describing the European Union's assessments of its political system, judiciary, and fundamental rights as biased and unfair. The European Commission stated that the gap between Türkiye's membership goals and its adherence to democratic principles has widened, specifically citing intensified legal actions against opposition figures, elected officials, and LGBTQ+ groups.

Ankara dismissed the findings on democratic standards as baseless and accused the EU of applying double standards. The Turkish Foreign Ministry further criticized the bloc for unconditionally supporting Greek and Greek Cypriot maximalist positions, arguing that the EU has failed to contribute to a Cyprus settlement while rejecting Türkiye's proposal for a two-state solution. The report also highlighted Türkiye's military activities in northern Cyprus, including naval base expansions at Bogazi and drone base upgrades at Lefkoniko, as well as its maritime delimitation agreement with Libya.

Despite the political friction, Türkiye welcomed the report's positive evaluations of its market economy, monetary policies, and strategic role in defense and supply chain resilience. Ankara used these positive findings to call for a modernization of the Türkiye-EU Customs Union.