By a large majority, today the European Commission of the Regions, the resolution proposed by Kostas Bakoyannis, was approved by the plenary of the European Commission of the Regions, condemning the imprisonment of Ekrem İmamoğlu, elected Mayor of Constantinople.

Mr Bakoyannis’ initiative comes in response to the ongoing political repression in Turkey and is a loud European statement in favor of democratic values ​​and the rule of law.

“I take the floor today, in the name of justice and democracy,” he said. “At the moment, Ekrem İmamoğlu – a colleague mayor, a defender of European values, is imprisoned, not because he committed an offense, but because he dared to win. Thrice. In a democratic way, through a fair election » Kostas Bakoyannis emphasized in his intervention in plenary.

In his speech, he condemned the manufactured, as he described them, charges against İmamoğlu and spoke of a targeted attempt to silence a political opponent by President Erdogan’s regime. “His imprisonment is not just an attack on him, but on every citizen who believes in the power of his vote. It is an attack on democratic governance, the rule of law, the values ​​that unite us as Europeans. “

Costas Bakoyannis has referred to his close relationship with İmamoğlu, with whom they have been actively working together in recent years to strengthen cooperation and peace in the region. “We torn down walls and built bridges together – not only between Athens and Constantinople, but among our peoples,” he said.

The resolution emphasizes that the imprisonment of İmamoğlu, relying on constructed categories, constitutes a blatant violation of human rights and a direct attack on democratic institutions. He also notes that silence against such practices is not an option for Europe, noting that: “Geopolitics cannot be used as an alibi to ignore the erosion of democracy.”

With the resolution, the Committee of the Regions sends a clear message: Imprisonment of elected leaders for political reasons is unacceptable. The EU and its institutions will not remain apathetic to authoritarianism.