After MEP Costas MAVRIDES speech criticizing the EU policy towards Turkey Anna van Densky interviewed him on perspectives of the Turkey membership in the EU, candidate country status, mounting tensions around drilling for oil and gas in Cypriot waters, breaches of human rights, and possible sanctions.

In the interview Mr. MAVRIDES underlined that regarding Turkish action in the Mediterranean it was announced that from the beginning of September they will start exploration from the ships, going beyond the Greek Islands Crete, Kasos, Karpathos, but also the first time Greece made it clear that this will not be accepted. Otherwise, we have some clear indications of de-escalation, or we are at brink of a conflict, Mr.Mavrides said.

The EU demands the respect of the international and European law, but the EU top diplomat Mr.Borrell talks about “dialog”, “breaching of our differences”, or our disputes regarding energy, reminding a tragic lesson of history, the appeasement policy which was used in 1937 to 1940 against Nazi Germany, when it was officially declared an international policy that giving concessions to Nazi will save world from total war, and the humanity paid highest price for this mistake, MEP continued.

Today the EU diplomacy does not call it “appeasement” policy, but “engagement” policy, but it follows the same steps, Mr.Mavrides pointed out. Unless the EU will form the European geopolitical strategy specifically oriented towards common defense, especially vis-à-vis Turkey, the worst scenario may repeat itself. And then Europeans will pay much heavier price, and as the supporters of the appeasement policy were condemned by history, the similar way some of nowadays politicians will be ashamed of what they say today, Mr.Mavrides warns. “The sooner we face up to the reality and defend our values as European Union having common defense, common sanctions, arms embargo, the sooner we do it, better we help people in Turkey and better we help ourselves” – Mr.Mavrides concluded. MEP MAVRIDES Chairs the Political Committee of the European Parliament (2019 – 2024) for the Mediterranean, he is member Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in Europarl and Democratic party of Cyprus.