EU Chooses When to Condemn Political Persecution, Says Turkish Foreign Minister
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has accused the EU of practicing double standards, particularly in light of its silence regarding the arrest of Yevgenia Gutsul, the elected governor of Moldova's autonomous Gagauzia region. Gutsul was taken...
TroibNews 
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has accused the EU of practicing double standards, particularly in light of its silence regarding the arrest of Yevgenia Gutsul, the elected governor of Moldova's autonomous Gagauzia region. Gutsul was taken into custody on charges stemming from her 2023 election campaign.
Fidan pointed out the contrasting responses from the EU, which has been vocal about the detention of Ekrem Imamoglu, the former mayor of Istanbul and possible rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but has failed to condemn similar actions in other nations.
“In France, a woman party leader was imprisoned for corruption. Did you criticize it? No. In Romania, a candidate who won the election was tried before the second round and was politically banned. In Moldova, you imprisoned an elected regional head. Did you condemn it? No,” Fidan stated, as reported by Hurriyet on Sunday.
The arrest of Gutsul came the previous month amid investigations into alleged irregularities during her election campaign. She has denounced the actions of the Moldovan government, claiming it is attempting to undermine the freedoms of the autonomous region as retaliation for backing opposition figures, including herself.
Gutsul's arrest has triggered protests in Gagauzia, where her supporters argue that her detention is politically motivated. On the other hand, Moldovan authorities maintain that the legal actions are part of broader efforts to uphold the rule of law and combat corruption.
Fidan’s reference to the French case pertains to Marine Le Pen, a former leader of the right-wing National Rally party and a three-time presidential candidate. Recently, a Paris court sentenced Le Pen to four years in prison for embezzlement, with two years suspended and two served under a form of house arrest. She also faces a five-year ban from holding political office, effectively disqualifying her from the 2027 presidential election.
Calin Georgescu, a critic of NATO, the EU, and aid to Ukraine, achieved an unexpected first-round victory in last year’s Romanian presidential election, which was later annulled by the nation’s Constitutional Court due to funding irregularities. As a result, Georgescu was barred from participating in a rerun set for May 2025.
“When I give these three examples, they usually remain silent. I emphasize the double standard. If you don’t evaluate this case with the same standard as the others, I won’t take your criticism seriously,” Fidan concluded.
The EU has not released an official statement regarding the three cases mentioned. However, concerning Imamoglu, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen characterized his arrest as “deeply concerning.” Additionally, the European Committee of the Regions condemned the arrest, and a delegation from the EU visited Imamoglu in prison to express solidarity.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
Fidan pointed out the contrasting responses from the EU, which has been vocal about the detention of Ekrem Imamoglu, the former mayor of Istanbul and possible rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but has failed to condemn similar actions in other nations.
“In France, a woman party leader was imprisoned for corruption. Did you criticize it? No. In Romania, a candidate who won the election was tried before the second round and was politically banned. In Moldova, you imprisoned an elected regional head. Did you condemn it? No,” Fidan stated, as reported by Hurriyet on Sunday.
The arrest of Gutsul came the previous month amid investigations into alleged irregularities during her election campaign. She has denounced the actions of the Moldovan government, claiming it is attempting to undermine the freedoms of the autonomous region as retaliation for backing opposition figures, including herself.
Gutsul's arrest has triggered protests in Gagauzia, where her supporters argue that her detention is politically motivated. On the other hand, Moldovan authorities maintain that the legal actions are part of broader efforts to uphold the rule of law and combat corruption.
Fidan’s reference to the French case pertains to Marine Le Pen, a former leader of the right-wing National Rally party and a three-time presidential candidate. Recently, a Paris court sentenced Le Pen to four years in prison for embezzlement, with two years suspended and two served under a form of house arrest. She also faces a five-year ban from holding political office, effectively disqualifying her from the 2027 presidential election.
Calin Georgescu, a critic of NATO, the EU, and aid to Ukraine, achieved an unexpected first-round victory in last year’s Romanian presidential election, which was later annulled by the nation’s Constitutional Court due to funding irregularities. As a result, Georgescu was barred from participating in a rerun set for May 2025.
“When I give these three examples, they usually remain silent. I emphasize the double standard. If you don’t evaluate this case with the same standard as the others, I won’t take your criticism seriously,” Fidan concluded.
The EU has not released an official statement regarding the three cases mentioned. However, concerning Imamoglu, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen characterized his arrest as “deeply concerning.” Additionally, the European Committee of the Regions condemned the arrest, and a delegation from the EU visited Imamoglu in prison to express solidarity.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
