Austrian MPs call for suspending Turkey’s EU accession

By Hasan Tosun

VIENNA, Austria

Austrian lawmakers Thursday called for a suspension of Turkey's EU accession process amid the recent detention of a number of opposition deputies and journalists.

"We urge the Turkish government to release the detained MPs and journalists urgently," said a joint declaration issued by the six political parties represented in parliament, calling the move "worrisome".

The parliamentarians from the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPO), the Austrian People's Party (OVP), Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), The Greens, Team Stronach and NEOS - The New Austria also criticized the current state of emergency in Turkey declared in the aftermath of July 15 coup bid.

Nine journalists and executives from the Cumhuriyet newspaper were remanded in custody Saturday in a counter-terrorism investigation into the PKK and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

It followed the detentions of 10 lawmakers from the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) on terrorism charges, including the party's co-chairs.

The same six parties had signed on April 23, 2015 a joint declaration calling the 1915 mass deportation of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire a "genocide" upon which Turkey recalled its ambassador to Vienna.

Hasan Gogus resumed his post in September 2015 after Austria's Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz ensured Ankara that they did not recognize the Armenian claims regarding the incidents.

The Turkish ambassador was recalled again on Aug. 20 after Austrian authorities did not allow Turkish citizens to hold anti-coup demonstrations in the country but allowed a pro-PKK march to take place.