KRG disappointed at S&D statement on Kurdistan referendum
by Roni Alasor / EU Parliament
Brussels, 27 September 2017 - Middle East Diplomatic (MED) - KRG expressed their disappointment at the biased recent statement of the S&D group in the European Parliament regarding Kurdistan’s referendum.
Right after the Kurdish independence referendum, S&D Vice-President from Romania Victor BoÅŸtinaru declared in a statement on behalf of the Socialists and Democrats Group that the poll was “counterproductive” and he called for Iraqi’s integrity.
In a press release following the above mentioned statement, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Mission to the European Union regretted this position, which is in clear contradiction with the main social-democratic values.
“As the KRG leadership has stated from the onset, holding a referendum is not a provocative act toward anyone, nor is it a crime by any means. On the contrary, it is meant as a peaceful way by which the people of Kurdistan, like any other nation in the world, just express their aspirations. Has the right to self-determination not been one of the principles defended by social democracy?”, says the KRG statement.
Moreover, KRG authorities call for more balanced position of the European Parliament, which could urge EEAS to reconsider its policy and formulate a new strategy on Iraq based on the post-ISIS reality.
The European Kurdish Social Democrats (EuKSD) also issued a statement and condemn strongly the "declaration" by Romanian MEP Victor BoÅŸtinaru in the name of Socialist Group in the European Parliament against universal and fundamental rights of 45 million Kurds.
EuKSD points out that the majority of Kurds in Europe share social-democratic values and they are deeply disappointed by the reaction of S&D Group. At the same time, the Kurdish activists underline the double standards on Palestinian and Kurdish self determination rights when European Socialists support and defend the existence of Palestinian state, but oppose Kurdish fundamental rights.