Erdogan antagonizing Europe by maintaining gas exploration

Ahmed Sami Abdelfattah

Relations between Turkey and Europe continue to suffer problems against the background of tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Ankara insists to explore natural gas in the territorial waters of Cyprus. This compelled the European Union to impose sanctions on it.

Commenting on the European position, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on August 24 that the EU would only harm itself by imposing sanctions on his country.

He vowed to keep exploring natural gas in the area. Erdogan added that European states would curry favors with Turkey once it discovers natural gas.

Erdogan is aware of European suffering as a result of having to resort to Russia for gas. He believes that the discovery of gas will effect a European position change toward his country.

European nationalists believe, meanwhile, that overdependence on Russian gas weakens the position of Europe and increases Moscow’s leverage within the European continent.

Turkey has already sent four local ships to explore gas in the Cypriot territorial waters. It also sent a corvette, denoting its readiness to fight for gas.

The discovery of natural gas will help Turkey overcome its budget deficit, something driven by a drop in the value of the Turkish lira. The gas will also satisfy Turkish energy needs. Turkey has to spend 20% of its budget on the import of petroleum. Gas will also provide Turkey with a fixed national income it is badly in need of.

In July this year, the EU imposed a series of measures to punish Turkey for exploring the gas in an illegal manner.

The measures included a financial assistance cut of 145.8 million Euros in the 2020 European budget. They also included the suspension of negotiations on air transport with Turkey. The European Commission asked the European Investment Bank to reconsider its dealings with Turkey.

Turkish affairs specialist Mohamed Hamed expected Erdogan to keep exploring natural gas.

“The Turkish president wants to impose new realities,” Hamed told The Reference.

He added that Europe would not manage to move ahead with imposing sanctions on Turkey.

“Turkey can pose direct threats to European security, using the refugees’ card,” Hamed said.