Brussels:Türkiye has urged Belgium to implement concrete measures against terrorist organizations operating within its borders, enhance judicial cooperation, and intensify efforts to address organized crime and irregular migration. This call came during a meeting in Brussels attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek, and Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci, together with their Belgian counterparts.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Turkish officials emphasized the need for Belgium to take decisive action against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), which Türkiye holds responsible for a failed coup in 2016. Justice Minister Gurlek highlighted the necessity of scrutinizing organizations associated with FETO, operating under front associations, educational institutions, and civil society structures within Belgium. He also stressed the importance of extraditing FETO members to Türkiye and ensuring that international protection mechanisms do not hinder such extraditions.

Gurlek further called for enhanced collaboration to combat cross-border organized crime, including drug and human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and money laundering. He referenced a recent operation in Izmir that uncovered a criminal network involved in drug trafficking with ties to Belgium as an example of effective cooperation.

Interior Minister Ciftci echoed the call for a unified international stance against terrorism, urging no differentiation between terrorist groups and emphasizing that no country should serve as a sanctuary for such organizations. He specifically urged Belgium to take action against groups linked to the PKK and FETO, including closing affiliated institutions and honoring Türkiye's extradition requests.

Ciftci also pointed out the need for repatriating foreign terrorist fighters to their home countries to prevent ISIS from reestablishing itself in the region. On the topic of organized crime, he stressed the importance of cooperation between the justice ministries of Türkiye and Belgium, alongside Interpol, to track and extradite suspected criminal leaders believed to be in Belgium.

Addressing the issue of irregular migration, Ciftci noted that Türkiye has increased its border security measures to manage migration flows and dismantle smuggling networks. He advocated for stronger cooperation with EU countries, support for voluntary returns, and the expansion of resettlement quotas, emphasizing that sustainable progress requires international cooperation and equitable responsibility-sharing.