Turkey accuses EU of being against the ‘Muslim-majority country’ as membership talks are delayed
Hardline president Erdogan stepped up his campaign of blackmailing Europe yesterday as he slammed the EU for stalling over discussions allowing country to move towards joining the bloc
TURKEY’S hardline president stepped up his blackmailing of Europe yesterday as he slammed the EU for stalling over talks to let the country join the bloc.
President Erdogan accused the EU of being against the “Muslim-majority country” and threatened to hold a British-style referendum to see whether Turks want to continue trying to join the EU or give up altogether.
The threat comes with the EU desperate to keep Turkey on side to solve the migrant crisis.
Lashing out at Brussels in a ranty speech, President Erdogan said: “We can stand up and ask the people just like the British are doing.
“We would ask ‘Should we continue the negotiations with the European Union or should we end them? If the people say ‘continue’ then we would carry on.”
Ankara and Brussels first signed an agreement stating Turkey would become a member back in 1963.
Turkey officially applied in 1987 and accession talks began in 2005 but its bid has been held up by an array of problems including major concerns about its human rights record.
RELATED STORIES
Brussels agreed to speed up membership talks as part of a deal to tackle the migrant crisis and a new chapter will be opened next week.
That sparked accusations from Brexit campaigners that David Cameron had “lied to the British people” after the PM insisted Turkey was not on course to join – in a bid to defuse worries its 75 million population will pile new immigration pressure on Britain.
President Erdogan used his speech to accuse Europe of wanting to oust him, and said the EU was welching on a deal for visa-free travel in exchange for help stopping the flow of migrants.
He said: “You are not keeping your promise. This is your ugly face. When Erdogan exposes your ugly face you go crazy,” he said.
“And that is why you are making efforts on ‘how do we get rid of Erdogan’.”
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu insisted the referendum comments were “not a blackmail or a threat”.
He said: “We are also under great pressure from our people who ask us what we are doing in a place where there is so much anti-Turkish sentiment.”