
The President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani recently made some statements that drew the reaction of EU member countries, particularly that of Slovenia and Croatia. These statements were perceived as if Italy had made territorial demands towards Slovenia and Croatia. Although Tajani stated that he did not imply that there were territorial demands, his statement was described as being unfortunate and caused calls for his resignation.[1]
The AP President Tajani took the floor at a commemoration of massacres that had occurred during the Second World War in an area near the city of Trieste, Italy. During his speech, he said, “Long live Trieste, long live Italian Istria, long live Italian Dalmatia, long live the Italian exiles.”[2]
What is noteworthy here is that the Istria region that was mentioned by Tajani covers the territories of Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia. Meanwhile, the other mentioned region, Dalmatia, is a part of Croatia. Both of these regions were occupied by Italian forces during the Second World War. After his speech, Tajani was subjected to criticisms by Slovenia and Croatia. For example, Slovenian Prime Minister Marjan Sarec expressed regret that the demand for a change of Slovenia's history was raised by the EU authorities and considered Tajani's statement as “historical revisionism.”[3]
Violeta Bulc, who is a Slovenian member of the European Commission, emphasized that EU is built on the principles of peace, unity, and solidarity. The expectations of peace, unity, and solidarity expressed by Bulc regarding the EU are valid for both non-EU or EU member countries.
For many years, statements that are similar to Tajani’s have been expressed by Armenia towards Turkey. The attitude of the EU authorities towards Armenia is different from those towards Croatia and Slovenia, which can be observed from EU’s contacts with Armenia. It is clear here that double standards are being applied against Turkey. The values that the EU advocates are common values that should be defended not only by EU member countries, but by the whole modern world. Therefore, when the Turkey-Armenia dispute is concerned, it should be expected that EU members with common sense should have, on this dispute, the same sensitivity that they have for their own concerns.
[1]“Calls for Tajani's resignation over Slovenia, Croatia row”, EUObserver.com, 13 February 2019, https://euobserver.com/political/144164
[2]“AP’nin İtalyan Başkanı Tajani’nin konuşması Hırvatistan ve Slovenya’yı Kızdırdı”, Euro.news, 12 February 2019, https://tr.euronews.com/2019/02/12/ap-nin-italyan-baskani-tajani-nin-konusmasi-hirvatistan-ve-slovenya-yi-kizdirdi
[3]“AP’nin İtalyan Başkanı Tajani’nin konuşması Hırvatistan ve Slovenya’yı Kızdırdı”, Euro.news, 12 February 2019, https://tr.euronews.com/2019/02/12/ap-nin-italyan-baskani-tajani-nin-konusmasi-hirvatistan-ve-slovenya-yi-kizdirdi
© 2009-2021 Center for Eurasian Studies (AVİM) All Rights Reserved
No comments yet.
-
EXTREMIST KURDISH – ARMENIAN COOPERATION IN HISTORY
Hazel ÇAĞAN ELBİR 28.02.2017 -
WHY SHOULD THE G-20 NOT ABOLISH ITSELF?
Hazel ÇAĞAN ELBİR 25.09.2023 -
SARKISYAN AWARDED AGOS COLUMNIST
Hazel ÇAĞAN ELBİR 30.05.2017 -
FRANCE DECLARES APRIL 24 COMMEMORATION DAY OF SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Hazel ÇAĞAN ELBİR 12.02.2019 -
EU’S ANTI-TURKEY STANCE IS STILL ALIVE EVEN WHEN SELECTING MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Hazel ÇAĞAN ELBİR 29.11.2019
-
KYRGYZSTAN AFTER 10 JANUARY 2021 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AND CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM
Turgut Kerem TUNCEL 21.01.2021 -
THE EUROPEAN UNION HAS COMPROMISED ITS FOUNDING PRINCIPLES DURING ITS 60TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
Mehmet Oğuzhan TULUN 06.04.2017 -
TURKEY-ARMENIA PROTOCOLS: THE FIRST YEAR
Ömer Engin LÜTEM 11.10.2010 -
CASPIAN SEA NATURAL GAS PIPELINE ITENARY DECIDED
Alev KILIÇ 30.06.2013 -
SYRIA'S ASSAD SAYS WAR TURNING IN HIS FAVOR
Hande Apakan 13.04.2014
-
Türk-Ermeni İlişkileri Üzerine Ömer Engin Lütem Konferansları 2022 -
RADİKAL ERMENİ UNSURLARCA GERÇEKLEŞTİRİLEN MEZALİMLER VE VANDALİZM -
PATRIOTISM PERVERTED -
MEN ARE LIKE THAT -
BAKÜ-TİFLİS-CEYHAN BORU HATTININ YAŞANAN TARİHİ -
INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARS ON THE EVENTS OF 1915 -
FAKE PHOTOS AND THE ARMENIAN PROPAGANDA -
ERMENİ PROPAGANDASI VE SAHTE RESİMLER -
Türk-Ermeni İlişkileri Üzerine Ömer Engin Lütem Konferansları 2021 -
A Letter From Japan - Strategically Mum: The Silence of the Armenians -
Japonya'dan Bir Mektup - Stratejik Suskunluk: Ermenilerin Sessizliği -
Türk-Ermeni Uyuşmazlığı Üzerine Ömer Engin Lütem Konferansları 2020 -
Anastas Mikoyan: Confessions of an Armenian Bolshevik -
Sovyet Sonrası Ukrayna’da Devlet, Toplum ve Siyaset - Değişen Dinamikler, Dönüşen Kimlikler -
Türk-Ermeni Uyuşmazlığı Üzerine Ömer Engin Lütem Konferansları 2019 -
Türk-Ermeni Uyuşmazlığı Üzerine Ömer Engin Lütem Konferansları 2018 -
Ermeni Sorunuyla İlgili İngiliz Belgeleri (1912-1923) - British Documents on Armenian Question (1912-1923) -
Turkish-Russian Academics: A Historical Study on the Caucasus -
Gürcistan'daki Müslüman Topluluklar: Azınlık Hakları, Kimlik, Siyaset -
Armenian Diaspora: Diaspora, State and the Imagination of the Republic of Armenia -
Ermeni Sorunu Temel Bilgi ve Belgeler (2. Baskı)
-
CONFERENCE TITLED “HUNGARY’S PERSPECTIVES ON THE TURKIC WORLD"