The European Commission has recorded backsliding in the justice, human rights, freedom of press and speech and several other sectors in Turkey, this is stated in the annual assessment report of the European Commission on the fundamental political and economic reforms in Turkey, which is required for EU accession and was adopted on 9 November.

In the section devoted to the South Caucasus and Central Asia, the European Commission states that Turkey was vocal in its support for Azerbaijan during clashes in April 2016 in Nagorno-Karabakh, writes Tert.am.

In regard to the Protocols on the normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations signed in 2009, the European Commission states that the Protocols are not yet ratified.

The report also indicates that the Turkish authorities continued to respond strongly and systematically whenever the 1915 events were recognized as genocide abroad.

The authors of the report have also touched upon the case launched in connection with the assassination of editor-in-chief of Agos Weekly Hrant Dink, the hindrances to the Armenian Patriarchate’s proposal to open a university department for Armenian language and clergy and the lawsuit against the Grey Wolves Organization in Kars on charges of hate speech against Armenians.

The publication of the report was followed by strict criticism from the Turkish authorities at the highest level. Turkey’s Minister for EU Affairs Omer Celik even referred to the report as biased and destructive.