Vangelis Meimarakis, an MEP from New Democracy party, has submitted a question to the European Union concerning Turkey’s “provocative intention” to apply for BRICS membership. Additionally, he has inquired about the “introduction and teaching of the revisionist narrative of the ‘Blue Homeland’ in Turkish school textbooks” in a letter sent to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell.
Meimarakis seeks clarification on how the EU intends to address these two critical issues within the framework of the EU-Turkey High-Level Dialogue, given that Turkey is a candidate country for EU membership and a NATO member.
He informs the European Commission that recent developments regarding Turkey are particularly concerning. These include Turkey’s intention to apply for BRICS membership and the inclusion of the revisionist “Blue Homeland” narrative in Turkish school textbooks, which violates international obligations toward its neighbors.
Meimarakis questions how Turkey’s application to join BRICS aligns with its EU membership aspirations and NATO membership, considering the conflicting interests with the EU and NATO.
Meimarakis on Turkey’s revisionist “Blue Homeland” narrative
Meimarakis describes the “Blue Homeland” narrative as a unilateral and revisionist theory that undermines Greece and Cyprus’s sovereign rights under the Law of the Sea Convention. He notes that this narrative has led to the illegal Turkey-Libya memorandum, which undermines EU energy projects in the Eastern Mediterranean and could lead to conflicts with the EU and its member states.
He also raises concerns about how this narrative could create a distorted perception among Turkish youth regarding history and Turkey’s obligations, potentially damaging relationships and fostering hostility in the region.
For these reasons, Meimarakis questions the European Commission on how it plans to address these issues within the framework of the EU-Turkey High-Level Dialogue and according to Turkey’s legal obligations toward the EU. He also inquires about how the EU will respond to Turkey’s digital diplomacy, which promotes the “Blue Homeland” narrative beyond Turkish borders through social media.
