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EU Parliament Committee Votes to Exclude Turkey from Defense Research Program
🇷🇴 Romania /Elections & Politics

EU Parliament Committee Votes to Exclude Turkey from Defense Research Program

From Adevărul · (7m ago) Romanian Critical tone

Translated from Romanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • The European Parliament's security and defense committee approved an amendment to exclude Turkey from the defense components of the Horizon Europe program for 2028-2034.
  • This decision, driven by concerns over sensitive technology access and strategic competition, signals a cooling of relations between the EU and Turkey.
  • While the restriction applies only to defense and security, it raises questions about Turkey's future participation in broader European research and innovation initiatives.

Brussels is playing a dangerous game, and it's Romania and the entire European Union that stand to lose. The recent vote by the European Parliament's security and defense committee to exclude Turkey from the defense aspects of the Horizon Europe program for 2028-2034 is a strategic blunder with far-reaching consequences.

Sunt jocuri mari, foarte serioase și cu niște consecințe pe termen foarte lung și care ar trebui să ne intereseze în cel mai înalt grad.

— Article AuthorThe author emphasizes the gravity and long-term consequences of the strategic decisions being made.

This move, ostensibly aimed at limiting access to sensitive technologies for perceived strategic competitors, ignores the complex geopolitical realities. Turkey is a vital NATO ally and a crucial partner in regional security. Alienating Ankara by barring it from a key research framework, even one focused on defense, sends a deeply problematic signal. It undermines the very concept of a united European defense identity that the Horizon Europe program is meant to foster.

Amendamentul propus de europarlamentaripriot Costas Mavrides (Alianța socialiștilor și democraților) a fost votat cu 29 de voturi pentru, 5 împotrivă și o abținere: vot majoritar cu o semnificație politică foarte clară și arată care este orientarea majoritară actuală la Bruxelles, deloc favorabilă Turciei, iar interzicerea accesului Ankarei la programele militare este un afront peste care Erdogan va trece extrem de greu.

— Article AuthorThe author highlights the decisive vote and its political implications for Turkey's relationship with the EU.

While our Romanian representatives in the committee remained silent – a baffling choice given the stakes – the vote itself, with 29 in favor, 5 against, and 1 abstention, clearly indicates a prevailing anti-Turkey sentiment in Brussels. This is not merely a technical exclusion; it's a political affront that President Erdogan will not easily overlook. The EU risks pushing Turkey further away, potentially weakening its own strategic autonomy rather than strengthening it.

Decizia asta, s-a spus, este motivată de necesitatea de a limita accesul la tehnologiile sensibile a țărilor considerate drept „concurente strategice” sau cele care nu păstrează relații de bună vecinătate cu celelalte State Membre UE.

— Article AuthorThe author explains the stated rationale behind the amendment, focusing on sensitive technologies and neighborly relations.

This decision is particularly galling when considering the broader context. While European lawmakers are preoccupied with such divisive maneuvers, the real challenges – global security, economic stability, and technological advancement – demand cooperation, not isolation. The exclusion from defense-related research is a significant blow, but the broader implications for Turkey's involvement in other Horizon Europe sectors, which encompass over 90 billion euros, remain a serious concern. This is not the way to build a strong, independent Europe.

Dar, cu toate astea, semnalul a fost înregistrat ca atare: europenii au îndoieli (cel puțin, delicat spus) asupra capacității Turciei de a se integra în viitoarele programe de cercetare pe tehnologii sensibile care sunt menite să întărească autonomia strategică a UE.

— Article AuthorThe author interprets the decision as a sign of European doubts regarding Turkey's capacity to integrate into sensitive research programs for EU strategic autonomy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Adevărul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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