2023-09-16 21:21:55
Istanbul (agencies)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced yesterday that Ankara might “distance” from the European Union if necessary, in response to a question regarding the content of a European Parliament report on Turkey.
The report adopted last week said that the process of Turkey’s accession to the 27-member bloc cannot be resumed under the current circumstances, and the report called on the European Union to explore a “parallel and realistic framework” for relations with Ankara.
Turkey became an official candidate to join the European Union 24 years ago, but accession talks have faltered in recent years due to the bloc’s concerns related to human rights violations and respect for the rule of law.
“The European Union is trying to separate from Turkey,” Erdogan told reporters before embarking on a trip to the United States. “We will make our assessments in light of these developments, and if necessary, we can distance ourselves from the European Union.”
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