Turkey Cites Armenian Genocide For Exiting EU’s Arts Program

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on September 20, 2016 (Photo: Associated Press/Richard Drew/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

ROME (Variety)””Turkey is exiting the European Union’s Creative Europe program which supports the arts, including film and TV ”” a surprise move that comes as relations between the Turkish government and the E.U. become increasingly strained.

In 2015, Turkey joined the ranks of non-E.U. member countries allowed to tap into Creative Europe’s 1.46-billion-euro fund ($1.56 billion) to support culture and the arts between 2014 and 2020. Creative Europe incorporates the E.U.’s Media Program, which subsidizes production, promotion, and distribution of film, TV, and video content.

“The European Commission regrets Turkey’s decision and the fact that Turkish cultural and audiovisual operators will miss future opportunities for cooperation with their counterparts in the E.U.,”