Meeting between EESC president and leaders of the "Turkey Democracy Platform"

The President of the European Economic and Social Committee, George Dassis met on 17 October 2016 with a delegation of the "Turkey Democracy Platform" comprising prominent jurists, entrepreneurs, academics, journalists and other civil society representatives who are currently visiting Brussels with a view to exchange views with European Union leaders on the socio-political and economic conjuncture in Turkey at the aftermath of the failed coup attempt.   

Headed by the eminent jurist and human rights activist Ms. Kezban Hatemi, members of the delegation, including business leaders Mr. Mustafa Süzer, Ms. Ayşe Cevahir Ersoy, the journalists Ms. Hande Fırat and Balçiçek İlter and the Armenian community leader Dr. Toros Alan, emphasised the importance of defending democracy in Turkey and gave an exposé of pre– and post–coup actions against democratic institutions.

Thanking the delegation for their comprehensive briefing, EESC president recalled his immediate statement strongly condemning the coup attempt and emphasised that all efforts to defend democracy should always be based on the rule of law and respect the fundamental freedoms and rights guaranteed by the EU.  President Dassis also referred to the work of EESC and the EU-Turkey Joint Consultative Committee and conveyed the Committee's position regarding the reinvigoration of Turkey's EU accession process.