The People's Congress of Kurdistan, KONGRA-GEL, after the Ankara visit of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President Charles Michel, criticized the rapprochement with Turkey and condemned the actions of European states.

"The fact that mutual economic interests are put above all fundamental problems has once again shown the true face of the EU and the Council of Europe,” said a statement published by KONGRA-GEL on Wednesday.

"Human rights are not among the priorities of the EU and the Council of Europe"

The statement continued: "As can be seen from the statements, human rights, democracy, trustees, the Kurdish issue in Turkey, the banning of the HDP, the attempt to silence the entire opposition, the withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention on the Protection of Women from Violence, the femicides, the impoverishment, the suicides and the tens of thousands of political prisoners are not among the priorities of the EU and the Council of Europe. The fact that mutual economic interests are placed above all fundamental problems has once again revealed the true face of the European institutions.

"Tolerance of the EU and the Council of Europe main reason for continuation of the special war"

The great tolerance that the EU and the Council of Europe show to Erdoğan while he, with his AKP/MHP coalition, disregards the universal principles of human rights and democracy and acts against the Kurdish people is the main reason why this special war government can continue its massacres of the Kurdish people without fear of sanctions. In this sense, the EU and the Council of Europe are accomplices of the AKP/MHP regime in all its crimes.

The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) had documented serious human rights violations in its Imrali report. Although a delegation of the CPT was in Turkey on January 11 and 25, 2021, no visit to Imrali prison island has taken place to check the problems that the committee itself had expressed in its previous report. This clearly shows the hypocritical policy of the Council of Europe on the Kurdish issue. This policy, which is contrary to a solution, is the basis for the fascist AKP/MHP regime to exercise all kinds of repression and violence.

"The EU is complicit in crimes committed in Afrin because of its silence"

The EU, due to its silence on the occupation, is complicit in all the crimes committed in Afrin, the forced change of demography, the kidnappings, rapes and murders, and the sale of abducted women to Arab states such as Qatar and many other crimes.

The EU provides material support to the settlement of mercenaries and their families by supporting the construction of their houses in place of the houses of the displaced population of Afrin. Therefore, the EU is directly responsible in genocide and forced displacement. The EU ignores the genocide in Afrin and supports the mercenary forces of the Turkish state politically, economically and militarily.

"EU gives legitimacy to Turkish fascism"

The cause of the state terrorism and the all-out war against the Kurdish people is the monist-fascist Turkish state policy based on denial and annihilation of the Kurds. Nevertheless, the unconditional support of the EU gives legitimacy to this Turkish state policy centered on security policy in relation to the Kurdish question.

Without the support of the EU, there would be no possibility for the Turkish state to continue its policy based on denial and annihilation. The monist fascist Turkish state system, which is experiencing a severe social and political crisis due to the war against the Kurdish people allegedly waged to fight terrorism, is at such a clear low point for the first time.

"Giving fascism a breathing space"

At this stage, the EU and the Council of Europe could have played an important role, similar to the one they have in solving the problems in the Mediterranean, in solving the Kurdish question and creating a real democracy in Turkey. This would have been in the interest of all parties. Such a situation would also have supported democratic change in the region and throughout the Middle East. However, the EU and the Council of Europe have preferred to prop up the AKP/MHP fascist alliance, which insists on war, and to give fascism a breathing space. They support Turkish fascism, which is responsible for great suffering for the peoples of Kurdistan and Turkey as well as the entire region, so that it can stay on its feet.

"Nevertheless, Turkish fascism will fall"

However, despite the policy of the EU and the Council of Europe to sacrifice human rights and democracy to their economic interests, they will not be able to prolong the life of the AKP/MHP government. It is the struggle of the democratic forces of the peoples of Kurdistan and Turkey that will determine the duration of the persistence of fascism. In this sense, the democratic forces have a historic opportunity. The anger of the peoples over hunger, poverty, persecution and massacres is growing day by day.

"United in the spirit of Newroz and Gezi"

The people of Kurdistan have shown their attitude in the spirit of Gare and Newroz. Fascism continues to escalate its attacks in the face of the clear message of Newroz. In the face of these attacks, there is opposition in all sections of society in Turkey. The spirit of the Gezi uprising grips all the persecuted, all the oppressed, the workers, the youth, the students and those plagued by injustice. As peoples of Kurdistan and Turkey, we are in a process of uniting the spirit of Gezi and Newroz.

"We have the power to defeat fascism"

This process means a collapse of fascism. No power can stop the peoples who stand up for freedom and democracy. If the democratic forces strengthen the struggle and block the way of AKP/MHP fascism, powers like the EU and the Council of Europe must change their policies for their own benefit.

We call on the democratic forces of Kurdistan and Turkey: Let us trust in ourselves and our peoples, we have the power to defeat fascism. The fascist regime is in bigger trouble than it thinks. The reason why the state attacks so vehemently is not its strength, but because it is cornered.

As democratic forces, we must lead the people in the awareness and conviction that we will achieve greater successes than ever before. We must approach this historic process, the process of the collapse of fascism, with an attitude that inspires confidence and hope for victory. We must strive for a unity of the truly democratic forces and reach out and organize all those who oppose fascism without distinction. In the spirit of Newroz and Gezi, we salute all those who are leading the struggle for democracy and freedom and wish them success."