Turkey will ‘open up border gates’ if European Union goes further: Erdoğan

Turkey and the European Union signed the refugee deal on March 20, 2016, in which Turkey agreed to take back refugees who cross into Greece illegally.

“Threats from either side don’t help”, she said.

European Union should not freeze accession talks with Turkey, Germany says was posted in World of TheNews International – https://www.thenews.com.pk on November 25, 2016 and was last updated on November 25, 2016.

Parliament members acknowledged the motion was largely symbolic, however Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told a congress on woman’s justice in Istanbul, “if you go any further, these border gates will be opened”.

Hundreds of people have drowned in the Aegean en route from Turkey to Greece on unseaworthy boats. You did not welcome children when (after drowning) in the Mediterranean they reached the coast.

Brussels agreed to give visa free travel for Turks once it carried out key reforms and give more aid to Turkey, in exchange for Ankara cutting the number of refugees to the Greek islands. We have to develop our relations in an economic and political aspect.

More time sensitive is Turkey’s quest for visa-waiver status, which would allow Turks to stay for up to 90 days in Europe without a visa.

In a statement released by the European Parliament, MEPs condemned the “disproportionate repressive measures” taken by Turkey under the state of emergency imposed following the failed coup.

“When we talk to them, they are telling us that it is important to continue talks. We know altogether that this is not in compliance with European values”, said Guy Verhofstadt, a former prime minister of Belgium who was one of the leaders of the effort inside the European Parliament to condemn Turkey.

He also stated Erdogan’srelations with Washington are not all that good either, arguing that it seems he is nearly deliberately “burning bridges” with both the United States and the European Union. The EU says the money is to be transferred gradually for individual projects and not in a single payment.

In the wake of the failed coup, Turkey also announced it would consider reintroducing the death penalty.

Tens of thousands of people, including teachers, journalists and opposition lawmakers, have been arrested or fired.

Turkey has in turn accused Brussels of failing to show solidarity. It comes after lawmakers in the bloc voted to halt membership talks with Ankara.

“Realistically, moving forward is also almost impossible”.

Earlier in the week, EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini warned that halting Turkey’s accession process would be a “lose-lose” move.