Turkey and EU: Crises that make it hard for Ankara to join EU

Mahmud al-Batakoshi

The policies of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party increased tensions between Turkey and the European Union.

These tensions have sabotaged Turkey’s attempts to join the European Union, turning this into a dream impossible to realize.

This is especially true after the EU lost all confidence in the Turkish president. The EU has imposed sanctions on Turkey, even as these sanctions are far from enough.

In this second episode of our series on relations between Turkey and the EU, we focus on European criticism of Turkey against the background of Ankara’s illegal exploration of minerals in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey angered the European Union in July last year when it send a drilling ship to an area disputed with Cyprus and Greece.

Erdogan’s last visit to northern Cyprus, which lacks international recognition, contributed to increasing tensions between Turkey and Europe. The visit caused the EU to threaten that it would impose renewed sanctions on Turkey.

Crises

Greece and Turkey are locked in a dispute over Aegean Sea islands. These disputes increase tensions in relations between Turkey and the EU, given the fact that Greece is an EU member.

The conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region also increases tensions between the two sides, especially with accusations to Turkey that it is sending militants to the region to fight side by side by Azerbaijan.

A member of the Dutch parliament called on the EU to take action against Turkey.

“Erdogan wants to revive the Ottoman Empire,” the MP said in remarks to the press.

He said the Turkish president cannot be stopped by mere words or threats.

“There is an urgent need for tough sanctions to stop him,” the MP said.