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Türkiye–Italy relations have advanced “very significantly” in recent years, driven in part by the strong dialogue between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Turkish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Fuat Oktay said during a visit to Rome.
Oktay led a multi-party delegation for two days of official meetings with senior Italian lawmakers and parliamentary groups, including the heads of Italy’s Foreign Relations Committee, NATO PA delegation, Inter-Parliamentary Union group and the Türkiye–Italy Parliamentary Friendship Group.
Speaking at Türkiye’s Embassy in Rome, Oktay said discussions with Italian counterparts covered Türkiye–Italy ties, Türkiye–EU and Türkiye–NATO relations, the Russia–Ukraine war, Cyprus, Syria, Libya, Gaza and the Balkans.
“Türkiye–Italy relations are developing very seriously,” Oktay said, noting the key role of the Erdogan–Meloni relationship.
He said regional developments, from the trans-Atlantic context to the Mediterranean and Middle East, have brought the two countries “even closer.”
Oktay added that the delegation aimed to reinforce government-level ties through stronger parliamentary diplomacy, emphasizing the value of dialogue that includes different political parties.
Oktay said some Italian lawmakers expressed satisfaction with the progress in bilateral ties and pledged support for Türkiye’s integration into Europe’s security architecture, including EU membership.
He noted, however, that others raised concerns on issues related to Türkiye’s domestic and international policies, which the delegation addressed “openly and clearly.”
Pointing to what he called a “double standard,” Oktay criticized the EU's position that expects Türkiye’s full support under NATO’s security umbrella while maintaining distance from Türkiye’s role in EU security programs.
He cited Türkiye’s exclusion from participation in the EU’s SAFE initiative as an example.
“We underlined that Türkiye–EU relations must progress on multiple dimensions, not only security,” he said.
Oktay also highlighted the need to resolve visa difficulties affecting business, tourism, education and culture, stressing that visa liberalization, modernization of the Customs Union and, most importantly, reopening EU accession chapters should be prioritized.
“If the EU has issues to raise with Türkiye, the relevant chapter should be opened and solved structurally,” he said.
Oktay characterized the talks as constructive, saying both aligned and differing views were openly discussed.
“You talk, you debate, but what matters is ending on friendly terms,” he said.
“We closed the meetings in a friendly manner. It was a good visit.”
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