The Kurdistan Freedom Movement held a press conference today in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and announced the withdrawal of its armed forces from Turkey. Following Abdullah Öcalan’s historic call on 27 February 2025, the PKK immediately declared a ceasefire and announced its dissolution at its 12th party congress.
As early as 1999, the PKK had withdrawn its forces from within Turkey’s borders, following Öcalan’s call. However, the Kurdish side’s efforts to achieve peace remained unanswered.
Turkey must immediately establish the legal and political framework conditions necessary for the transformation into a sustainable peace process and democratic participation.
The democratisation of Turkey is crucial for stability and peace throughout the region. Just a few days ago, with the votes of the AKP, MHP and Iyi Parti, the parliament extended the mandate for military missions in Syria and Iraq.
The European Union and its institutions also have a role to play here. All political levers must be used to ensure that Turkey implements these measures immediately. The right to hope is one of the central issues here. After all, Abdullah Öcalan is a key figure, and his freedom is crucial to the process. The Venice Commission must provide support in monitoring the legal proceedings.
Another lever that the European Union should use is the EU terror list. Removing the PKK from this list would not only send a positive signal for the dialogue process, but would also have positive implications for Kurds and communities from Turkey living in Europe.
As EUTCC, we welcome this historic step by the Kurdish freedom movement. We call on Turkey to fulfil its legal and political obligations and urge the European Union and European institutions to actively support the process.
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EU Turkey Civic Commission
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