Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expects “nothing more” from the European Union, even though his country has been hoping to join the EU for decades.
“Turkey no longer expects anything from the European Union which has kept us waiting at its door for 40 years,” Turkish President Recepp Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday.
“We have kept all the promises we made to the EU but they have kept almost none of theirs” denounced the head of state before the inaugural session of parliament, adding that he will not “tolerate no new requirements or conditions to Turkey’s accession process.
If they do not reverse certain injustices such as the imposition of visas, which they use as a latent sanction, if they do not correct their errors (…), they will completely lose the right to express political expectations. , social, economic or military on our part,” he warned.
Anger after a decision by the ECHR
“If the EU intends to end the accession process which only exists on paper, that will be their decision,” he added.
The president’s anger also stems from the latest judgment of the European Court of Human Rights which singled out Turkey this week: it accuses him of having condemned a man for belonging to an armed terrorist organization based on his simple using the ByLock encrypted messaging application.
“Turkey no longer expects anything from the European Union which has kept us waiting at its door for 40 years,” Turkish President Recepp Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday.
“We have kept all the promises we made to the EU but they have kept almost none of theirs” denounced the head of state before the inaugural session of parliament, adding that he will not “tolerate no new requirements or conditions to Turkey’s accession process.
“If they do not reverse certain injustices such as the imposition of visas, which they use as a latent sanction, if they do not correct their errors (…), they will completely lose the right to express expectations political, social, economic or military on our part,” he warned.
Anger after a decision by the ECHR
“If the EU intends to end the accession process which only exists on paper, that will be their decision,” he added.
The president’s anger also stems from the latest judgment of the European Court of Human Rights which singled out Turkey this week: it accuses him of having condemned a man for belonging to an armed terrorist organization based on his simple using the ByLock encrypted messaging application.
ByLock is considered by Ankara to be the preferred communications tool for those allegedly responsible for the failed 2016 putsch, which left 250 dead and was followed by mass arrests and purges without precedent in Turkey’s modern history.
“Turkey will not turn back”
The Turkish government attributed the failed putsch to the Fetö organization (an acronym used by Ankara to designate the movement of preacher Fethullah Gülen) of which it was once an ally.
“The decision of the ECHR is the last straw that broke the camel’s back,” continued Mr. Erdogan. “Members of the terrorist organization and their supporters who are encouraged by this decision should not hope in vain. This decision will bring no relief to the scoundrels who are members of Fetö.”
“Turkey will not turn back in its fight against this gang of traitors. It will not allow any return to the past,” he insisted.
This article is originally published on lavoixdunord.fr
