Borrell rebukes Orban for attending Turkic summit

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban continues to stir up trouble in EU foreign policy. After his controversial visit to the Kremlin, he also took part yesterday in the summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Susa, Azerbaijan, which was attended by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which broke away from the EU. Cyprus was also represented.

Yesterday evening, European Union foreign policy coordinator Josep Borrell distanced himself from Orban, whose country currently holds the presidency of the European Council.

Borrell stressed in a press statement that Orban's participation in the summit came “exclusively within the framework of bilateral relations between Hungary and this organization.” Hungary currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union, but this does not mean representing the European Union externally.

Problem with OTS cases

This is only entrusted to the permanent president of the Council of the European Union and the EU foreign policy representative. The Spanish socialist explained that Hungary did not receive a mandate from the Council of the European Union to deepen relations with the OTS.

Borrell stressed that “the European Union rejects the attempt by the Organization of Turkic States to legitimize the internationally unrecognized Turkish Cypriot separatist entity, the so-called “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”, as an observer in the OTS.

The opposing decision taken by the Organization's countries is considered “regrettable” and contradicts the support of many of its members for the principle of territorial integrity and the United Nations Charter.