Türkiye’s deep inconsistency with “agents of influence” law

You might wonder about the connection between the “agent of influence” clause, said to be included in the 9th Judicial Package that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has not yet officially submitted to the TBMM Committee, and the allegations that asylum seekers, whom the UK will send to Rwanda, will be transferred to Türkiye under the guise of tourists.

The connection link is the “inconsistency”.

“Agent of influence” and inconsistency

“Agent of influence” is a topic heavily emphasized by the ruling People’s Alliance, particularly the MHP wing.

If it were up to MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, anyone who speaks about Osman Kavala and the Constitutional Court, or writes about the Sinan Ateş murder case, should be tried as an influence agent of foreign powers. Murmurs of dissent from within the AKP can be heard in the parliamentary lobbies, but no one dares to speak loudly. Except for opposition parties, of course.

But this inconsistency is revealed on the international stage.

Georgia, AKP, and MHP

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly convened in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, on May 27. The TBMM Türkiye NATO-PA Group, chaired by former Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, also attended this meeting. The Declaration 490, which finalized the discussions at the end of the meeting, was accepted with the votes of the Turkish Group.

Look at what is said in Article 12 of this declaration, which concerns Georgia’s recent addition of the influence agency offense to its laws as it applies for NATO membership:

“[NATO] Firmly committed to supporting Georgia’s democracy, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, but deeply concerned about the law on the so-called ‘transparency of foreign influence’, which is a step backwards for the country’s democratic consolidation and runs counter to its NATO as well as EU aspirations, and urging the Georgian authorities to withdrawn the law before it further damages Georgian democracy”

What will they say in the Turkish Parliament?

Who are among the members of the Turkish Group who accepted this clause which is an example of inconsistency in the agents of influence debate, without objection? Apart from Çavuşoğlu,  there is Mehmet Kasapoğlu, Vice President of Hayat, former Minister of Youth and Sports, from the AKP; and MHP MPs Mevlüt Karakaya and Kamil Aydın. I won’t list the entire delegation.

CHP TBMM Group Deputy Chairman Gökhan Günaydın recently addressed this issue while opposing the agent of influence accusation proposal:

“Next week we will see which side these friends will show their hands on the agent of influence issue in the 9th Judicial Package. Therefore, this beautiful country probably deserves a little more morality, a little more seriousness, a little more effectiveness.”

Günaydın didn’t say inconsistency; I am saying that.

Reassurance fell to the CHP

The issue of asylum seekers coming from Rwanda goes beyond inconsistency and approaches the borders of clumsiness and ineptitude.

Do you know who made the most enlightening statement about the allegations that migrants whom the UK will send to Rwanda will be transferred to Türkiye under the guise of tourists?

Indeed, the Presidential Communication Directorate made a statement on May 31, saying that these allegations were disinformation. But due to either the erosion of trust in the Communication Directorate’s statements or the statement being bogged down in technical details, the allegations persisted.

In the end, the most reassuring statement about the “asylum seekers coming from Rwanda” claims came from Namık Tan, CHP Istanbul MP, who has a background not only as Turkey’s Ambassador to Israel and the US but also as a Foreign Ministry Spokesperson.

Saying inconsistency is not enough

Tan made his statement on his social media account, saying that there is no provision in the agreement between Türkiye and Rwanda other than tourism investments, information and statistic sharing and the delegation exchange between two countries, adding that the agreement “does not include or aim at bringing more tourists from Rwanda.”

“However, the coincidence of the news that the UK will place refugees in Rwanda with the same date of this agreement provides material to some segments feeding on confusion (…) causing unnecessary panic. Due to the lack of correct and explanatory information given to our people, an ordinary tourism agreement with Rwanda can cause a storm in a teacup and distract us from focusing on real issues,” he said.

Indeed, I do not think that the AKP, which is equally troubled by the asylum seeker issue, would want to open this topic to avoid discussing the economic crisis. Here, there seems to be more inconsistency, clumsiness, and a bit of “let’s avoid any unpleasantness” dismissiveness than intent.

After all, it is not yet certain who President Tayyip Erdoğan will blame for the March 31 defeat. Just in case, right?