Our "courageous” European Leaders

08/03/2016

In the statement issued at the end the European Council of March 7, 2016, meaning  two days after that the Turkish authorities substituted the editor-in-chief of the newspaper “ZAMAN” suffocating the freedom of expression to, we can read “The EU Heads of State or Government also discussed with the Turkish Prime Minister the situation of the media in Turkey”.

It is shameful that they did not have the courage to condemn this unbelievable attach the a basic democratic value.

Almost immediately after the summit the Turkish response has been to do the same with the “Cihan News Agency”.

We all understand of course the present quite difficult negotiation with Turkey with regard to the migrants (which proves anyway a weak EU due the lack of a real leadership of it MS) but freedom of expression is not negotiable: it must be protected and defended at any cost and attack on it must be strongly condemned! In few days the Heads of State or Government will meet again with the Turkish Prime Minister to finalize the agreement on the migrants issue. Let’s hope that as some European Council’s members like the Italian Prime Minster said will not sign without a clear position on the freedom of the media matter.

As EJ we aspect more courage and a much clearer and unambiguous position without of the EU Institutions towards the freedom We show the deepest  solidarity with the journalist who has been directly involved in measures against their freedom and with all the Turkish  colleagues fighting for their freedom of expression.

Paolo Magagnotti

EJ President