The President of the European ParliamentթԹ has warned thatթԹ Turkey is թ§Չ-ժon the wayթ§Չ-Թ to becoming a թ§Չ-ժone-man stateթ§Չ-Թ under the leadership ofթԹ թԹ PresidentթԹ Recep TayyipթԹ ErdoթժԴan (pictured).
European Parliament President, Martin Schulz, made the comment inթԹ a sharply-worded interview with the German daily newspaperթԹ KթԹԳlner Stadt-Anzeiger (KStA). թԹ During the course of the discussion he referred to recent developments in Turkey asթԹ a թ§Չ-ժstunning rejection of European values.թ§Չ-Թ
Referring to negotiations over Turkeyթ§Չ-Չ§s status in relation to the European Union (EU), Mr. Schulz added:
թ§Չ-ժ[Chancellor Merkel] and EU leaders have said very clearly toթԹ the Turkish president that his policy is inconsistent with fundamental European values, and therefore meaningful negotiations on EU membership for Turkey are not only called into question, but rendered virtually impossible.թ§Չ-Թ
In the more immediate future, Mr. Schulz said PresidentթԹ ErdoթժԴanթ§Չ-Չ§s recent actions jeopardise the prospect ofթԹ visa liberalisation for Turkish citizens traveling into the EUթ§Չ-Չ§s Schengen zone.
He was not merely referring to the appointment by PresidentթԹ ErdoթժԴan of his longstanding and faithful allyթԹ Binali Yildirim as Prime Minister of Turkey yesterday, but also his intransigence over reforms demanded by Europe as the quid pro quo for visa free travel.
Not only has PresidentթԹ ErdoթժԴan refused to make changes to TurkishթԹ terrorism lawsթԹ as required by the migrant deal, but he oversaw the introduction of aթԹ controversial bill adopted by parliament last week which lifted immunity for dozens of pro-Kurdish and other Members of Parliament. That move has been seen as means of silencing opposition in parliament in a country which has already seen the persecution of critical media outlets.
Although Mr. Schulz says it must be made clear the EU does not թ§Չ-ժidly accept the monopolisation of power in one manթ§Չ-Չ§s hands,թ§Չ-Թ other comments in the interview hint atթԹ the barrel over which President ErdoթժԴan has got European leaders faced with an ongoing migrant crisis in their own countries.
Having said the EU would not deal with Turkey unless something changes, Mr. Schulz later backtracked from actually scrapping the EU-Turkey migrant deal, claiming:
թ§Չ-ժThe refugees would have to pay the price in the end. We need a good agreement. We will therefore continue to cooperate with Turkey, but we must not remain silent.թ§Չ-Թ
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